i'm hungry and proud of it.

Early Valentine's Day Dinner (and a VERY late post) @ Sushi Zo

2012-01-23T22:21:00.000-08:00

Wow. It's been a very long time since I last blogged. How time flies when you are so busy you can barely breathe. The past six months have brought a lot of change in my life which has kept me busy. Too busy to update my blog. Too busy to even tweet. But as the dust settles, I find myself right back where I started.

I was wondering which post I should unveil my "return" with and while most of you, including myself, expect a grand and momentous post, I simply chose Sushi Zo. Not to say Sushi Zo is simple, but my reasoning was simple in that I am currently craving sushi and therefore, I shall write about it. Simple, right?

If you know me, you'll know that when asked about my favorite sushi place I'll immediately respond with Sushi Zo. Having never tried Urasawa (oh, the travesty!), I can say Sushi Zo is the best I've had... in the states. Even though my meal at Zo was more than several months ago, 10 months ago to be exact, I can still remember each bite like it was yesterday. It also helps that I've been here enough where I practically have the omakase memorized.

miso soup

We were given a bowl of miso soup to warm ourselves up. This is your standard miso soup, nothing to gush over.

kumamoto oyster

At Sushi Zo, the first few dishes in the omakase are always the same. The kumamoto oyster is one of those wonderful staples. Being one of my favorite oysters, I always enjoy combined briny flavor of the oyster with the tang of the sauce.

baby tuna sashimi

Moving on, baby tuna sashimi was next. Delicate in texture and flavor, the tuna sashimi was soft and very enjoyable to eat. Already "sauced" by the chef, the wasabi and soy sauce didn't overpower the tuna, but heightened its natural flavor.

abalone

The abalone was quite firm and snappy in texture, a nice contrast to the previous dish. The green chili paste did its job by little bursts of flavor and heat on my tongue.

uni with squid

Always a favorite, the creamy uni with slippery strands of squid was served next. The added soy sauce and wasabi balanced out the sweetness of the uni.

halibut (hirame)

It was time to move onto the sushi and as always, started off with halibut. There was a light dusting of salt and/or some kind of acid. It was subtle, but enough to wake up my palate.

albacore

The albacore was dressed in ponzu sauce that most of us are absolutely addicted to. I'm no expection. The ginger and scallions are always lovely with this fish and my personal favorite additions.

horse mackerel (aji)

Mackerel, though oilier and "fishier" than others, is one of my favorite fish to eat. I rather enjoyed the "fishier" taste and found it very flavorful.

scallop (hotate)

Moving on, the scallop was absolutely delicious. Very smooth, but not mushy, the scallop was excellent - in texture and flavor.

yellowtail (hamachi)

The hamachi is always a safe bet at Zo or rather at most sushi places. Sliced thinly on top of perfectly shaped rice, the hamachi sushi is one that can be enjoyed by everyone.

medium fatty tuna (chu-toro)

Everybody's favorite was up next: toro. These two pieces can be summed up in one word: orgasmic. Yep. Think about that one.

pompano

Pompano is definitely a fish I've had before, but I wouldn't be able to tell you anything about its taste. I'm sure it was delicious, but probably not delicious enough to have a lasting impression.

amberjack, yuzu kosho (kanpachi)

Kanpachi, usually topped with yuzu green chili paste, was next. Always a delight, the mild flavor of the kanpachi and the slight spicy kick from the green chili gave my taste buds a little wake-up call.

golden eye snapper (kimmedai)

Next up was one of my favorite staples at Zo, the golden eye snapper. I always look forward to this dish and practically giggle with excitement whenever I catch a glimpse of this beautiful fish. It is more flavorful than your regular snapper, and definitely more beautiful. The slight addition of soy sauce does wonders for your palate.

giant clam (mirugai)

It seemed that all my favorites were lining up for me to taste. Mirugai is another one of those wonderful, delicious staples at Zo. The snappy texture of the clam with the slight oceanic but sweet flavor can turn anyone into a clam lover.

baby sweet shrimp (amaebi)

One of J's favorites of all time has to be the amaebi. Not surprising. I think this may be everyone's all-time favorite. Who can resist the creamy sweetness that embodies the amaebi?

butterfish

The butterfish was tender and well, buttery in texture. It melted in my mouth. There was just the right amount of that delicious miso-based sauce on top.

yellow-striped jack

Next up was the yellow-striped jack, which was pretty standard. The standard being delicious, of course.

monkfish liver (ankimo)

The ankimo was topped with ginger, scallions and a little bit of ponzu sauce. Creamy with a slight oceanic flavor, the foie gras of the sea is milder and more delicate in flavor than what most imagine.

squid (ika)

The squid was next which was a nice contrast in texture from the previous ankimo. It was smooth, but with a bite to it.

salmon (sake)

The common salmon, dressed up with marinated kelp, was fresh and delicious.

needlefish (sayori)

The needlefish was mild in flavor, but had a firm texture. A definite must-try.

wahoo (ono)

Moving onto the ono, I don't really recall how this tasted but I am leaning towards albacore-like for the texture.

orange clam

Orange clam, another favorite! The sprinkle of salt brought out the sweetness in this snappy piece of sushi. If you're a fan of giant clam, then you'll really enjoy this.

spanish mackerel (sawara)

I have some friends who do not really care for spanish mackerel due to its oily and salty flavor. I, personally, love it more because of it. It's all your personal preference. The oiliness of the fish is complemented by the ginger, scallions and slight brush of soy sauce.

black snapper (kurodai)

I don't remember ever having black snapper at Zo before, but I am glad I did. It was absolutely fantastic. It was so good that I remembered what kind it was out of twenty-something pieces of sushi I ate.

halibut fin (engawa)

Moving on, our next piece of delicious fish was the halibut fin sprinkled with a small amount of sea salt. Clean and fresh. A perfect bite.

sea urchin (uni) & salmon roe (ikura)

Finally, my favorite of all time! Oh, uni, uni, uni... I can never quit you. But, why would I want to? I'm stuffed by this point, but if given the chance, I could probably eat 10 more orders of just uni. Hell, if I could I would have an IV hooked up to an endless supply of uni. But, let's save that for another time... I always eat the ikura first and save my love for last.

saltwater eel (uangi)

The unagi is next - a sure sign that the meal is coming to an end. Usually in your average restaurant the unagi is completely drenched in the eel sauce. At Zo, the amount of sauce is modest. Thank God. With just a slight brush of the sweet sauce, the tender eel was a delicious bite.

toro handroll

The meal closed with a toro handroll that had the perfect ratio of rice and toro. I was completely stuffed by this point, but I always finish the handroll. Always.

yuzu drink

For dessert, a sweet and refreshing yuzu drink is given. With the right amount of sweetness and acidity, this drink provides a quick escape from the overwhelming sensation of gluttony. But, the escape is brief. I finish the drink and still have to take a few minutes to fully digest and reboot.

When people ask me what my favorite sushi restaurant is, I immediately respond with Sushi Zo. This has not changed. Granted I have yet to experience the glorious Urasawa, but until then I will remain true to my Zo. Not to the chef, not to the decor or the location. But, true to the amazing sushi.

I'm back, bitches.

Nanbankan: My (Not Anymore) Neighborhood Yakitoriya

2011-04-05T17:15:00.000-07:00

This blog post is dedicated to the Westside... (WESTSIDE!) Since I recently moved home to Koreatown, I decided to write about one of my favorite places in my old neighborhood. I literally used to live a couple blocks from Nanbankan and would walk there for dinner time to time when driving seemed so much work. Yes, driving 2 blocks seemed a lot of work at that time... Nanbankan is fairly popular due to its minimalist yet elegant decor and atmosphere. If you want to see the grilling action, I suggest you sit at the yakitori bar but keep in mind you might smell like smoke. I usually opt to sit at a table more out of habit than necessity.

Every person gets an order of veggies with a miso-based sauce to enjoy while they wait for the food. I like this much better than chips or bread since it's so much healthier. We usually devour this mini appetizer within one minute, but I never feel bad about it - haha!

yellowtail roll

Whenever J and I go to a yakitori spot, we have the usuals that we order. This time, I wanted to go off the grill menu and try a few of their non-grill items. The first to come out was the yellowtail roll filled with sprouts, avocado and even a carrot. I wanted a very simple roll, but this one did the job.

beef tongue

shitake mushrooms

bacon-wrapped asparagus

chicken liver

chicken wings

beef

chicken cartilage

We ordered our usual stapes; me with my liver and tongue and j with his cartilage and wings. The tongue was actually beautifully cooked and super tender. I also almost always enjoy liver, so that was an easy one for me. J's enjoyed his cartilage but not so much on the wings. I believe he wanted crispier skin, not burnt. We both really enjoyed the beef. Although I can't remember what cut of the meat it was, it was tender and the delicious with the sweet soy-based sauce. The bacon-wrapped asparagus were just okay for me, but J really enjoyed them since it combined two of his favorite things: asparagus and bacon.

stuffed mushrooms

potato, sour cream

We moved onto the non-meat items, working our way through the stuffed mushrooms with radish, scallions and ponzu sauce and the grilled potato with sour cream topped with scallions and chili powder. I expected the mushrooms to come out warm, but it was served cold. The flavors were fine, but nothing extraordinary. However, the grilled potato was quite fantastic in both texture and flavor. The almost-burnt layer from the open flame gave a wonderful smokey flavor and nice textural contrast, especially when eaten with the cool and creamy sour cream. The added hint of spice from the chili powder was subtle and welll-balanced. While I would definitely order the potato again, J thought it was pedestrian and pretty average.

salmon onigri

clams, whitefish, green beans, mushrooms

assorted mushrooms, tomatoes

octopus sunomono

I ordered the salmon onigiri because I wanted something filling, but immediately regretted it once I saw the salmon and rice ratio. I think I'm used to the more generous filling from the homemade onigiris. Nonetheless, the outside of the onigiri was crispy and nicely seasoned. We also got the clams and assorted mushroom dish. Both were passable, the clams being a bit better than the mushrooms. I think I was having a bad mushroom day. We finished our meal with the refreshing octopus sunomono. The octopus had the perfect texture, it was tender but still had a bite to it. The combination of the sweet octopus with the pickled cucumbers and seaweed result in a refreshing and delicious mouthful.

It's a well-known fact that I will miss living on the Westside, being able to walk over to Nanbankan or any of restaurants on Sawtelle Blvd. for lunch or dinner. I still haven't eaten at all the great Westside eateries, but I'm sure I'll eventually get around to it. More than the food, I will miss all the memories I've made living on the breezy side of town. The late nights, the lonely nights in and even my crazy neighbors... But, I must say that being back in Koreatown is pretty damn convenient. I forgot how easy it was to meet people up for a drink and find something to eat at 2 AM on a Wednesday. I also forgot how central Koreatown is to everything else. Besides the insane traffic and congestion, life is pretty good in Ktown, my hometown.

Nanbankan

11330 Santa Monica Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90189

(310) 478-1591

CiCi's Cafe: My First Breakfast in the Valley

2011-03-22T16:37:00.000-07:00

Valley seems like another world to me. I used to hang out in the valley during high school which seems like a lifetime ago. But since then, my memories of the valley have faded and replaced with drunken, blurry ones from college. Now, I only head out to the valley to see my lovely man who lives and works out in the not-so-lovely valley. Our dining options in this area are greatly limited and that frustrates me. Some say spoiled, some say it's understandable. Guess which one J says I am? Regardless of what I am, I was determined to find some decent food that wasn't a chain restaurant. And I did.

I researched and found Cici's Cafe in Tarzana widely known for their vast breakfast menu. Perfect! Since J loves breakfast, I knew it wouldn't take that much to wake him up in the morning. We arrived around 10 AM and luckily there was a two-seater that just opened up. We quickly grabbed that and beat the rush.

orange juice

House Benedict, two poached eggs, tomatoes, asparagus, avocado on English muffin with cheddar & hollandaise sauce

two eggs, bacon, hash browns (use ketchup at own discretion)

Hungover but ready to eat, I ordered the house benedict as J gave me that "Are you sure you want to order that?" look. He knows that whenever I eat anything with hollandaise sauce, I have a stomachache the entire day. He also knows that even though this always happens, I will always order that item with the hollandaise. Something about poached eggs and that buttery hollandaise gets me every time. Cici's house version was even better because it came with tomatoes, aspargus and avocado. The first bite of egg yolk with the creamy avocado, crunchy aspargus and sweet tomatoes topped with cheese was amazing! Think about it... (Pause) Amazing, right? I knew I was going to pay for it later, so I indulged right then and there. J ordered his usual two eggs and bacon with a side of hash browns. He enjoyed his crispy bacon and his over-easy eggs. Hash browns, we both enjoyed. =) I never say no to potatoes!

Cici's Cafe

18912 Ventura Blvd

Tarzana, CA 91356
(818) 881-6704
http://www.ciciscafe.com/

Hatfield's Restaurant: A Special Occasion Kinda Place...

2011-03-15T23:28:00.000-07:00

Yes, it was a special occasion.

It was our beloved friend Francine's birthday and after discussing the best dining option for her birthday dinner she decided on Hatfield's. Fran and I first fell in love with Hatfield's at their original location, now home to Eva Restaurant. While we do miss the days of the unassuming and cozy atmosphere of their previous home, we still very much enjoy the fabulous food Chef Quinn continuously puts out night after night at their beautiful and not-so-new location.

There were six of that night and we had an early reservation. Newly made parents, F & T, left their adorable baby daughter with F's mom, so early dinner reservations was a must.

amuse bouche

I sipped on a cocktail (can't remember which one), while we nibbled on warm sourdough-like bread and bread and waited for the rest of our party to show up. Once they did, the amuse bouche of smoked salmon came out to tease our appetites.

course 1a: chilled poached Maine scallop, toasted bulgur salad, horseradish creme fraiche, muddled citrus

course 1b: warm creamy crab buckwheat crepe, pickled beets, marinated radish, fine herbs

All of us decided to go with the seasonal prix fixe ($59) which comes with four courses you get to pick from the prix fixe menu. Since there were two options for each course, J and I decided to order each item for variety. For the first course, there were two options: poached scallop or crab buckwheat crepe. I really liked the texture of the scallop dish and the fact that it was chilled, but I enjoyed the flavor combination of the crap crepe with pickled beets a bit more. The sweetness of the creamy crab with the pickled beets, my favorite part of the dish, worked well together in balancing out the flavors.

supplement: croque madame, yellowtail sashimi, prosciutto, sunny side up quail egg, brioche

supplement: bobo farms foie gras, sauteed king trumpet mushrooms, red flame grapes, golden lentils

In addition to the prix fixe courses, we added on two courses that we couldn't ignore. First off, we knew couldn't dine at Hatfield's without ordering Quinn's signature dish, the croque madame. Unfortunately, the usually fantastic croque madame wasn't as great as our previous experiences. The bottom brioche on mine was a bit burnt and tough to eat. Other than that, the flavors were still wonderful and delicious. The other dish we couldn't pass up on was the foie gras. The tartness of the grapes did a lovely job of cutting the fattiness of the liver, while the mushrooms and lentils provided a heartiness to the dish.

course 2a: charred octopus, caramelized fennel, saffron vanilla braised hearts of palm, red wine olive puree

course 2b: Atlantic cod with curry toast crust, soy long beans, eggplant puree

By the time our second course came out, I was already getting full. But still determined to eat everything, I dove into my octopus dish. The octopus was beautifully cooked and the smokiness from the char with the sweetness of the caramelized fennel provided a very balanced dish. The slight sour and tart flavor to the olive puree added a brightness as well. J's cod was also fork tender and delicious. I thought the curry flavor overwhelmed the fish slightly, but I really enjoyed the eggplant puree with it.

course 3a: pan roasted duck breast, caramelized endive and cherries, pistachio pistou, celery root puree

course 3b: slow cooked beef short rib, blue lake beans, braised radish, horseradish potato puree

Moving on, I chose the duck breast for my third course while J chose the short rib. The duck was perfectly cooked and the tart cherries which were a nice complement to fatty duck. I had a few bites of J's short rib and I have to admit, while the duck was delicious, the short rib was superb. It was not only super tender, but had a lot of flavor. The key component that had me hooked was the silky horseradish potato puree. It had a subtle kick and perfect with the short ribs.

course 4a: sugar & spice beignets, Venezuelan chocolate fondue, Mexican chocolate milkshake shot

course 4b: smores (I don't remember what was in this dish)

course 4c: warm pear strudel, poached sour cherries, black walnut praline ice cream

course 4d: chocolate "nutella,"ganache cake, butterscotch rosemary ice cream, hazelnut toffee

course 4e: chocolate caramel semifreddo, salted peanut crunch, bitter chocolate sorbet

course 4f: caramelized goat's milk cheesecake, hazelnut shortbread, citrus compote, grapefruit Lillet sorbet

Since there were a total of six of us, we each gor a different dessert and shared. The beignets were good, but passable. I really enjoyed the chocolate semifreddo with the salted peanut crunch and the chocolate "nutella" ganache cake. Being a lover of chocolate and peanut butter, this was a no brainer. Another favorite of mine was the goat's milk cheesecake with the citrus compote and grapefruit Lillet sorbet. While I love sweets, I also love citrus. The grapefruit sorbet with the citrus compote was a refreshing way to end the meal.

Our meal game to an end with a petit four of some kind of berry gelee. I don't know what it was because frankly, by this point, I was in a coma.

I haven't been back to Hatfield's since their soft opening last year which was around the same time. Yes, it's been a year since my last visit and the only thing that seemed to have changed is their volume of customers. Since I went on their soft opening night, the restaurant wasn't as full and lively. But on this particular night, there were many couples and parties celebrating an early Valentine's Day dinner. You could tell which ones they were by the color of attire.. red dress, anyone? Regardless of the crowd size, there weren't any hiccups with service or the food. They have been at this location for a year so everything is pretty much nailed down. Service was attentive and friendly while the food was delicious as usual. The food being on point is expected as you can clearly see Quinn putting his hands on every dish in the kitchen through the large windows.

Hatfield's is a restaurant you would go for a special occassion, but wouldn't be limited to just that. While it is not as cozy as their previous space, the wife and husband duo did a great job of transcending the friendly and unpretentious atmosphere into a classy and elegant space. I wouldn't feel initimated to drop by for a drink or quick lunch, a key compoment to its success. Great meal with great company. Happy Birthday, Fran! <3

Hatfield's Restaurant
6703 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90038
(323) 935-2977
http://www.hatfieldsrestaurant.com/

New Year's Eve Dinner @ Kiyokawa

2011-03-07T22:46:00.000-08:00

First, I would like to say that I did not jump on the Kiyokawa bandwagon after Jonathan Gold raved about it. I've been wanting to go to Kiyokawa a long time before his review, ever since a friend of mine ate there for a business dinner and couldn't stop talking about it. Finally, after years of procrastination, I made it to dinner. J is not a huge fan of multi-course meals where you stuff yourself silly for several hours, so naturally, sushi was our first choice.

Good decision.

I was wearing a dress that was so tight on top, I couldn't breathe.

Bad decision.

But, don't worry... I still ate everything. =)

It was a chilly new years eve night and we had reservations at Kiyokawa. Being excited was an understatement. Upon our arrival, we were greeted warmly by the host and quickly seated at the bar. The chef, while preparing to cut into a beautiful piece of tuna, looked up and smiled. He asked us the usual, "is there anything we can't eat or don't like?"and we gave him our usual answer of "we eat everything."

course 1: tomato, deep fried asparagus, pickled cucumbers, spinach, mackerel, omelette

Our first course was an array of mini appetizers reminiscent of banchan. The pickled cucumbers were delicious since I love almost anything pickled. J liked the crunchy deep fried asparagus and we both really enjoyed the omelette. It was a nice introduction for the meal to come.

course 2: sashimi course - spanish mackerel, Santa Barbara abalone with citrus pepper, tuna, yellowtail, red snapper

The sashimi course was next. The color on the fish was beautiful and cut was generous. I really enjoyed the almost crunchy texture of the abalone and the citrus pepper on top. J, not usually being a fan of mackerel, said the spanish mackerel was his favorite. Surprising, but then again not so much. The spanish mackerel was wonderfully oily and melted in my mouth.

course 3: shrimp tempura with daikon, kumamoto oyster with caviar and gold leaf, fried seaweed, snow crab, seared toro, foie gras

The next course was one of my favorite courses of the night. It had everything that I loved! I started off with the kumamoto oyster with caviar and gold leaf on top. Delicious. I then moved onto the fried seaweed and shrimp tempura, which were both nice but not as memorabe. Why? Because I was saving the best for last. The foie gras and seared toro were both heavenly and wonderfully fatty. I still dream about that seared toro...

course 4: hot pot of snow crab, carrot, green bean, daikon and tofu

Next up was a hot pot of crab and vegetables. The sweet crab was tender and the vegetables were beautifully prepared. It was simple and perfect. This dish really showed me Chef Kiyokawa's skill in practicing restraint and achieving great flavors with that restraint.

course 5: seared black cod, greens, soy bean paste dots

The flavor of the black cod was great, but the texture was a bit too mushy for me. I wanted more flakiness to the fish. The salad was also a bit overdressed, but I absolutely loved the soy bean dots on the plate that added depth to the dish.

course 6: shitake mushroom soup with white fishball

The aromatic soup of shitake mushroom was next. This bowl of soup was perfect for the chilly weather. It was earthy, wam and very comforting. It's something I wish I could eat whenever I was feeling under the weather. This and my mom's chicken-ginger soup with rice.

course 7: sushi course - Spanish super toro, yellowtail belly, halibut with citrus pepper, Hokkaido scallop with hot olive oil, Santa Barbara uni

Our omakase was coming to an end with the sushi course. The toro and yellowtail belly were fatty and buttery. Melt-in-your-mouth delicious. The halibut with the citrus pepper was nice and bright. The scallop with the hot olive oil was tender and mildly sweet. Of course, I saved my favorite for last. The generous amouts of uni were creamy and sweet. Always a great combination with the wasabi on top.

course 8: black sesame ice cream

We finished our dinner with black sesame ice cream, one of our favorite flavors. Just in time because we were getting pretty stuffed. Maybe it was the dress or maybe it was the fact that I knew the night ahead would be full of drinking, but I couldn't eat another bite. The ice cream was the perfect portion and perfect end to our last meal of 2010.

We wanted a simple, yet memorable meal for our last dinner of the year and we got exactly that. It was the details that really made this dinner special for me. You can see the extra care Chef Kiyokawa puts into his food by how the quality of the ingredients shines through in every dish. If you love Japanese cuisine or sushi, I highly recommend this place. I've been waiting so long to try this place and it did not disappoint. This meal was the closes thing I've experienced in the States that reminded me of the food I had in Japan.... Now back to dreaming about Japan....

Kiyokawa

265 S. Robertson Blvd.

Beverly Hills, CA 90211

(310) 358-1900

http://www.kiyokawarestaurant.com/

Quick Dinner @ Blue Plate Oysterette

2011-03-01T15:37:00.000-08:00

I was craving oysters, like I always do... so, I convinced J to grab a quick bite in Santa Monica. Yes, dinner by the beach during this cold weather. So Californian, no? Even though it was quite cold, the place was still full with patrons getting their seafood fix. For drinks, I got a glass of white (I forget what I drank) while J got a Chimay. The one glass of white got me pretty buzzed, probably because I was drinking on an empty stomach. I didn't even touch J's beer because Chimays always get me drunk. I never knew they were so damn strong...

oysters

mussels, creamy lemon and garlic sauce

ceviche of the day

I started off with a half dozen oysters... and yes, I mean "I" and not "we." He doesn't care too much for oysters so more for me! I should've really ordered a dozen, but good thing I didn't because their oyster prices seemed a bit high. Nonetheless, the oysters were delicious. I had originally wanted Kumamotos, but unfortunately they were out. The server suggested something similar, which were fantastic, but once again, I forgot the name. J, being a sucker for mussels, made the obvious choice. They were good, but we've had better. We also ordered the ceviche of the day as well, which I also thought was only average. I immediately wished I had orderd the lobster roll, something I had been craving all day. I guess I should always stick to my cravings.

My meal was short, but it wasn't entirely too sweet. The oysters were great, but everything else was merely okay. Maybe there is a reason why I don't remember a lot of things to this meal...Granted I only had three dishes, I had high hopes for this place. I'll probably come back for that lobster roll and well, if my wallet is fat, then the oysters as well. Let's just hope I remember to come back...

Blue Plate Oysterette

1355 Ocean Ave

Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 576-3474
http://www.blueplatesantamonica.com/

Following Chef Ben Bailly to Fraiche Restaurant

2011-02-23T17:14:00.000-08:00

When I heard that our beloved Chef Ben Bailly was leaving Petrossian, I was crushed! I've not only had an amazing dinner there, but also great brunches. My disappointment was short-lived when I realized he was moving to Fraiche in Culver City. I've only been Fraiche once when they first opened, but hadn't been back since. I guess I never had a reason to until now. I was exited for Ben since he had more control over the menu and had free reign to do whatever he pleased. Awesome. Less caviar and more rustic french cuisine.

Let the feasting begin!

olives and almonds, rosemary, olive oil

vodka infante

oysters

While waiting for my dining partner to arrive, I was sipping on a lovely, sweet and sour cocktail and nibbling on some olives. Chef Ben didn't want me to wait too long without food, so he sent over a couple of oysters to hold me over. And like clockwork, my dining companion showed up as soon as I was about to slurp these babies down.

smoked trout rillette, lemon, chives, creme fraiche

poison ivy, vodka, lemon, basil, cayenne pepper

As soon as my friend got situated, our first course and another cocktail was brought over for us to enjoy. The basil and lemon flavors in the Poison Ivy were really nice and played a primary role, while it finished off with a lingering heat from the cayenne pepper. The smoked trout rillette was also quite delicious. It was smoky, salty and while it wasn't meant to be paired with the cocktail I really enjoyed it together. The mild heat of the drink with the smokiness of the rillette reallly worked.

brussel sprouts, chorizo, manchego, dates, almond, piquillo

burrata, broccolini, bosc pear, hazelnut

Our next courses were the brussel sprouts salad and the burrata with broccolini salad. I really enjoyed the texture in the burssel sporuts salad. And the flavor combination from the bitter greens, sweet dates and salty manchego cheese was fantastic. The little bits of chorizo were also a very nice surprise. I'd highly recommend this dish to any brussel sprouts lover. The burrata salad was also quite nice. The tartness of the pear was a nice complement to the creaminess of the burrata and bitterness of the greens. Both were very strong salads. I would only pick one over the other depending on my mood that day.

eastside, vodka, cucumber, lime

pencillin, scotch, ginger, honey, lemon, islay scotch spritz

It was time for our next round of drinks: Eastside for me and Pencillin for my friend. The Eastside was a perfect drink for me because it embodied all the things I love in a cocktail: vodka, cucumber and lime. Yes, I'm a simple girl who loves acid. Not that kind of acid... While mine was a simple cocktail, my friends was more complex in taste. It had a medicinal flavor (obviously, read the name) but had a sweet finish. It was quite nice.

vitello tonnato,veal steak tartar, arugula, parmesan

Next up was the veal tartar, subtle in beef flavor and almost creamy in texture. The saltiness from the parmesan was nicely balanced out by the veal and arugula. I also loved how crispy the bread was. I hate it when you try to be a lady and finish the bread in two bites but forced into once because it was impossible to bite the bread off. No one likes tough and chewey bread.

house made agnolotti, wild mushroom, mascarpone, truffle butter, truffle

The agnolotti was one of our favorite dishes of the night. The moment the plate was set down my nose twinkled and I couldn't stop salivating. The shaved tuffles with the wildmushrooms gave an abundance of earthy flavors. Like my dining companion said, "Umami, umami, umami..." This is one dish I'll keep ordering again and again.

grapefruit twist, gin, rosemary, grapefruit

turkey dinner, clove infused wild turkey, cranberry juice, cynar, candied orange peel

It was time for our third round of drinks. I had the Grapefruit Twist, which was my favorite drink of the night, while my friend had the Turkey Dinner. The grapefruit twist was delicious with the perfect amountof citrus and an underlying hint of rosemary. The Turkey Dinner, on the other hand, was too strong for me, but my friend enjoyed it.

basil risotto, escargo, lemon, tomatoes

By the time our next course came out, I was stuffed. I had to let Ben know that I was slowly coming to an end. Regardless of how full I was, I still managed to finish our next dish, the basil risotto with escargo. The saltiness of the escargo offset the sweetness of the tomatoes very nicely. This combined with the slight peppery and minty flavor from the basil produced an elegant but homey dish. Not to mention the texture of the risotto was great, not too mushy and not too hard. Lovely.

skatewing, sherry gelee, brown butter foam, mashed potatoes

Our fish course was next which was accompanied with brown butter foam and mashed potatoes. The fish was delicate and beautifully cooked, while the mashed potatoes was hearty and delicious. The brown butter foam on top was exquisite, but my favorite part of the dish was the sherry gelee. These small bits of sherry was enough to balance out the richness in the potatoes and the butter foam. Excellent.

osso buco lasagna, shredded veal

I finally made it to our last savory course, the osso buco lasagna with shredded veal. I only had a few bites of this since I was literally about to pop. The veal was super tender and the saltiness of the cheese was delicious. My dining companion took this leftover since we couldn't finish it. He must've had a good lunch.

palate cleanser: lemon sherbet, gin

the grape, vodka, elderflower syrup, crushed grapes, lime

After our refreshing palate cleanser of lemon sherbert with gin, I was given my last cocktail of the night, The Grape. I felt like I should be sipping this cocktail at some resort spa. The grapes made it "girly," but it wasn't too sweet in taste. I would definitely order this again.

chocolate tart, tres leches gelato, almond crumble

panettone bread pudding, gianduja, hazelnut, mascarpone gelato

caramel pot de crème

I always have room for dessert, so I wasn't too scared when I saw three desserts appear before my eyes. The chocolate tart was rich and decadent, perfect with the tres leche gelato. The almond crumble was a nice texture contrast to the smooth tart. The bread pudding was also quite delicious and maybe my favorite out of the three. It wasn't too dense, but definitely had a bite to it. I am also a huge sucker for caramel, so the carame pot de creme was another favorite. I guess it's safe to say all the desserts were my favorite? Who doesn't love the salted caramel with cream on top? Seriously.. who doesn't?

After our massive feast was over, they couldn't let us leave without having a shot of whiskey, as if all the amounts of food and cocktails weren't enough already! Still, we gladly accepted and took a farewell shot with the manager and our beloved Chef Ben. My meal at Fraiche was wonderful to say the least. My friend who eats out very often was blown away by the food and the thoughtfulness that went behind our experience. We felt taken care of from the very moment we stepped into the restaurant until the very moment we stepped out.

Fraiche Restaurant
9411 Culver Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 839-6800
http://www.fraicherestaurantla.com/

Mos Burger & Yoshinoya: Fast Food in Tokyo, Japan

2011-02-11T16:58:00.000-08:00

I've been craving Mos Burger lately, so I decided to do a post on the fast food J and I ate while in Tokyo, which was only Mos Burger and Yoshinoya. I clearly remember the morning we decided to eat Mos Burger for the first time. We knew it was pretty close to our hotel, so we decided to walk over for breakfast before our sightseeing activies. We walked and walked... Of course, we got lost. We were circling around the small streets of Shinjuku when I saw this girl sitting on the floor throwing up with her friend next to her patting her back. GROSS. J and I both immediately stopped in our tracks. We looked up and saw an alley way filled with intoxicated Japanese people all lined up along the wall. They were all drunk or on some kind of other shit... It reminded me of a rave scene in the morning with cracked out people. Don't ask me how I know... It just goes to show how hard the people party over there - haha!

Honestly, my appetite was totally killed after seeing all that, but I was determined to eat the famous Mos Burger. And I did. I ate it all.

cheeseburger

double burger with fries

teriyaki burger

We went to Mos Burger twice during our visit and my favorite item was the double patty burger. The regular cheeseburger reminded me of a McDonald's cheeseburger without the grease. The double patty burger, on the other hand, was something you cannot get in the States. The patty was juicy and the toasted buns were nice. But, the sauce was so addicting! The combination of these flavors reminded me of a sloppy joe and a japanese hamburger steak. The teriyaki burger was good, but I did not expect it to come with rice buns. Kinda cute, actually.

beef bowl with noodles and tofu

beef bowl

The only other fast food chain we hit up was Yoshinoya. And again, we ate this for breakfast and we ate it in less than ten minutes. Obviously, the beef bowls in Japan taste much better because of their quality of ingredients. However, the regular beef bowl tasted pretty much the same as the beef bowls here. J's fancy beef bowl with the noodles and tofu was much more enjoyable to eat due to the added elements. I really wish I could've tried something else, but when you are pressed for time and can't speak the language, your options are limited.

Overall, you can definitely taste the difference in quailty of ingredients between the fast food here and the fast food in Tokyo. But, between Yoshinoya and Mos Burger, I'll have to choose Mos Burger... every time. There's just something about that damn sauce... that I still dream about. I'm drooling...

Night Out in the Valley: Mandarin Deli & Get Shaved

2011-02-08T10:35:00.000-08:00

Let's face it, the dining options in the Woodland Hills/Canoga Park area are pretty limited to your chain restaurants and well... that's it. I haven't found any hidden treasures yet, so my dining life in the valley is pretty non-existent. Since I've been staying in the valley a bit more now, I've been bugging J about hitting up Get Shaved in Northridge. I've only had the truck and I was craving shaved ice ALL day. To shut me up, he remembered a place he used to frequent during his CSUN days that was near Get Shaved. SCORE!

During the drive, I was obviously more excited about my dessert than my dinner. I just really wanted to get through the average meal I was going to have and jump right into dessert heaven. We arrived around 9 p.m. and there was only one other party in the restaurant besides us. I didn't know if it was a good sign or not... we came in an hour before closing so that might have been it.

J said that he always gets the beef noodle soup - a popular dish at this restaurant. So, ordering that was a must. While J is a noodle-lover, I am a rice-lover. So, naturally, I had to order fried rice. Along with that we ordered the scallion pancakes.

beef noodle soup

I didn't think we ordered that much food, but once the big bowl of noodles came out I knew we'd have fried rice as leftovers. The bowl was filled with noodles and soup that smelled amazing! The friendly, older Chinese waitress split the noodles into two smaller bowls, which looked less intimidating. The noodles were chewey and easy to slurp. The soup was a tad oily but really flavorful. The beef was super tender and so good. This bowl of soup is what you eat when you want your soul to feel good. Yes, I said soul.

shrimp fried rice

The fried rice was also delicious. It had ample amount of shrimp and scallions for that extra crunch and onion flavor. It was even better as leftovers, especially when you're drunk at home and watching korean dramas on the computer while your boyfriend is too busy playing COD to notice you're eating all of it. SCORE again!

scallion pancakes

I was already full from the noodles and some of the rice, but I couldn't say no to these pancakes. As a Korean, I really love Korean pancakes, seafood or kimchi, you name it. It's so simple and easy to eat, but has so much flavor. These scallion pancakes definitely reminded me of that same concept. I love scallions, so liking this pancake was an easy guess. The pancake alone is pretty mild in flavor, but when dipped in a little bit of soy sauce, the combination is really great. Simple and honest food - my favorite kind.

monkey brains

After our meal, we headed over to Get Shaved and was happy to find that it was on the next block over from the restaurant. Whenever I order from Get Shaved, I always think I'm going to try all of their different flavor combinations. Unfortunately, I never do. I always cave and stick with my favorite: monkey brains. Monkey brains consist of strawberry and banana shaved ice with sweetened condensed milk. Yum. Honestly, the condensed milk just makes it that much better. I wish I could carry a bottle of condensed milk around with me without being judged.

My night out in the valley wasn't filled with fine dining or elaborate cocktails, but it was a night that was satisfying on a different level. It was homey and comfortable. Comfort food and great company is sometimes all you need to make a night special. Now I know I need to find more of these hidden gems in the valley, so please send me your suggestions!

Mandarin Deli

9305 Reseda Boulevard

Northridge, CA 91324
(818) 993-0122

Get Shaved
9255 Reseda Blvd
Northridge, CA 91324
(818) 439-1053
http://www.getshavedice.com/

Papa Cristo's

2011-02-03T14:05:00.000-08:00

Everybody loves Papa Cristo's...

Really, they do. I know this because every time I talk about this place someone always chimes in and goes on and on about how much they love it. So, yea... I know.

I always pass by this place en route to/from the 10 freeway so I know the outside pretty well. It's been on my radar for quite some time so when someone suggested this for lunch after church, I quickly jumped on that wagon. It was a sunny Sunday afternoon and we found street parking right out in front - SCORE! If you grew up in LA, you know how shitty the parking is in this damn city. So whenever I find street parking, it feels like I found money. It's like gold! Anyways... The place wasn't too packed. There were a few bodies in the marketplace and few more waiting in line to order. Here, you order first, get a number and grab a seat in the dining room.

beef kabob, marinated filet mignon, greek salad, greek potatoes, tzatziki sauce, pita

I love kabobs or kebabs, so my natural choice was the beef kabob plate. The beef was nicely seasoned and when eaten with the warm pita and salad you don't feel as bad. But then, I go right back to feeling bad as soon as I scarf down the delicious potatoes. Thank goodness the salad was there... it made me look less fat.

chicken kabob, marinated chicken breast, greek salad, greek potatoes, tazatziki sauce, pita

My friend wanted to be healthy and order chicken. HA! The potatoes were still delicious, but I found the chicken to be a bit dry. I usually always order chicken or fish at restaurants, but whenever I see kabobs, I always order beef.

octopodakia, grilled baby octopus

gyro sandwich

tzatziki sauce

Our group shared the grilled baby octopus salad with tomatoes and cucumbers. I really loved this dish and recommend any seafood lover to order it. The smokiness from the grill coupled with the oceanic flavor of the octopus was delicious, especially with lemon juice over the top. The sweetness of the tomatoes and the crunchy cucumbers were a nice touch to the dish. I even dipped these little babies in the very addicting tzatziki sauce. That sauce is MONEY. You can eat that with everything. I ate it with my beef kabobs, the octopus dish and of course, with the gyro sandwich. I only had a bite of the sandwich, but I was so full I could only have one bite. The sandwich was good, but I would still go back and order the beef kabob plate.

Besides the great food and friendly service, another great element to dining here is the Papa Cristo Club Card. Every time you purchase an item (specific rules apply - see back of card), you earn a stamp. You can trade six stamps for a free sandwich or wait until you get 12 for a free dinner plate. It sure pays to eat!

Papa Cristo's

2771 W Pico Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90006
(323) 737-2970

http://www.papacristos.com/

Test Ktichen: Claustro by Brian Redzikowski

2011-01-28T11:35:00.000-08:00

I am fully aware that Test Kitchen is now closed and better yet, Chef Brian Redzikowski's visit was some time ago, back in September, to be exact. You would think it is too late to post about my dinner now, but you are wrong. Why? Because it's my blog and I can do what I want (yes, I can be a brat). I fell in love with Chef Brian's food when I went for dinner at Bond St./Thomspon Hotel last year, so naturally I wanted to support his night at Test Kitchen.

I met some of my fellow PbPers for dinner this night to discuss future events. The place was pretty packed so the whole place was noisy and energetic. I have to admit it was a bit difficult to have a meeting. All the buzz in the room just made me want to drink... what else is new?

course 1: passion fruit, blueberry, prosecco

We started off with a cocktail of passion fruit, blueberry and prosecco. It was a nice palate cleanser, especially for me since I was already drinking a sweet cocktail. This drink was definitely reminiscent of the blueberry vodka at my visit at Thompson Hotel, which by the way, was a fabulous drink.

course 2: terrine, “marco pierre white”

Our next course, named after the famous British Chef, Marco Pierre White, was a terrine of leeks and lobster. The subtle sweetness to the lobster and the mildness of the leeks worked well together when eaten with the dollop of caviar. Without the caviar, the flavors were a bit restrained, but still very elegant.

course 3: potato, chorizo, rosemary

The potato dish was one of my favorites of the night, again, no surprise there. I loved the texture of the fried potato which I furiously dipped in that addicting chorizo sauce. The presentation was not only whimsical but served a purpose. The aroma of the rosemary complemented the potato and chorizo very well - making for one tasty bite.

course 4: king crab, preserved meyer lemon

I could smell this dish a mile away. It was my favorite course when I had my dinner at Thompson Hotel and it still remained my favorite dish at Test Kitchen. I know by this point the food was running out, so I was so thankful I got this course. The interplay between the sweet crab and the acidity from the lemon was divine. I think this is one of my favorite things to eat, ever.

course 5: Arnold Palmer, hot and cold

The Arnold Palmer was next, a palate cleanser that was both interesting and delicious. The warm iced tea on top with the frozen lemonade at the bottom was a nice play on the different temperatues. This reminded me of how much I missed drinking Arnold Palmers...

course 6: halibut, black truffle, romaine

Next up was the halibt with black truffles. The fish was cooked beautifully and the shaved black truffles provided a wonderful earthiness to the dish. The romaine lettuce added a nice textural element as well as proved to be a bright note complementing the fish. I really enjoyed the dish and my only qualm was that it wasn't any bigger.

course 7: foie gras, liquid ravioli

The foie gras dish was another favorite of mine. The ravioli skin was tender and the foie gras was impeccable. I also loved the pieces of lettuce in the dish that broke up the fattiness of the foie gras. It truly was a perfect bite.

course 8: lamb, chanterelles, onion

Our last savory course of the night was the lamb done two ways, terrine and loin. Both were incredibly tender and flavorful, the loin being a bit more gamey. Honestly, by this point, my mind was getting fuzzy from flavor overload. I stopped taking notes and just enjoyed the flavor explosion in my mouth.

course 9: Asahi float, acacia honey

Moving onto the dessert course, the Asahi float is one that I've experienced both at Thompson Hotel and Chef Brian's Hatchi Series at Breadbar. An elevated beer float, the sweetness of the honey with the slight bitterness of the beer serve as a palate cleanser as well as a delicious dessert.

course 10: “half baked,” pistachio, kaffir

Our last course of the night had many components, but all worked well to form a complete and delicious dessert. The dish had a caramel panna cotta with soft brownie sponge and a frozen raw cookie dough frozen by liquid nitrogen. I really loved the ground pistachios in the dish which added a nice crunchy texture, a nice change from the creamy ice cream and soft brownie.

My dining companions and I had a fantastic meal and really enjoyed everything. I know some tables didn't get all the courses because food ran out, so I felt very fortunate to have experienced everything. Always a fan of Chef Brian Redzikowski, I was extremely happy with the meal since I was a bit disappointed with his last pop-up at Hatchi. Knowing the caliber of his skill and level of expertise he holds, I always have high expectations from Chef Brian and this dinner at Test Kitchen just reconfirmed that belief. I can't wait to go in to Thompson Hotel and try out his new menu items. If you have never eaten his food, I suggest you go now especially since the kinks of the new management at Thompson Hotel have been worked out.

To find out more about Chef Brian Redzikowski and his cuisine, visit http://www.brianredzikowski.com/

Winter Wonderland: A Look Into Chef Amy's Culinary Adventures

2011-01-21T17:56:00.000-08:00

We all know that underground pop-up dinners are taking over the Los Angeles food scene and you all know how much of a fan I am for such dinners. So, when I got an invitation to attend one of Chef Amy's Underground Dinners, Winter Wonderland, I was quite excited. While Chef Amy didn't start off with a cooking career, her love for food started at a very early age. Leaving her job as a TV marketing executive, she decided to pursue her true passion and start a full-service catering business. Along with her catering business, her infatuation with the underground dining scene gave birth to her "bootleg restaurant" or, my favorite term, "food raves."

The dinner was held at a photo studio that had high ceilings. The space, decorated according to the theme, really felt like a winter wonderland. It was as if I stepped into Narnia, but surrounded by food - haha. By the time we arrived, the room was filled with people. We were a little late (yes, parking in LA sucks), but still early enough to sample the appetizers.

filo-wrapped shrimp

fondue with swiss cheese and bacon bits

potato latke

The servers were passing around three appetizers, the potato latke was my favorite, obviously. The fondue was close, but I really do love my carbs. My dining companion's first latke was burned on the bottom, but was still flavorful. I think we could've had a whole plate of these, each! Even though the potato was our favorite, I really enjoyed the flavor of the shrimp and the texture of the filo.

garlic butter

While we were waiting for our first course to come out, we discovered the amazing garlic butter. Do you see the picture above? Yes, I put a LOT of butter on my tiny piece of bread. It was THAT good. It was the holiday season... who's going to judge me?

course 1: goat cheese and beet salad

Our first course was a goat cheese and beet salad, a salad that is on almost every restaurant menu in Los Angeles. Even though I've eaten this salad a gazillion times, I still really enjoy it. The fact that I love beets and cheese might have something to do with it. I thought the presentation was whimsical, but the beets were a little tough to cut. The flavors of the creamy goat cheese and the hearty beets was, of course, a great combination. This course was paired with a 2009 Viognier provided by Monte De Oro Winery. The wine was very fruity and easy to drink. I would have preferred a more dry and crisp wine with the first course, but that is just my personal preference.

course 2: lobster bisque

Next up was the soup course, the lobster bisque. When the soups were coming out, my nose immediately perked up. The smell was intoxicating. The lobster was lovely and beautifully cooked. The soup on its own was a tad salty, but when paired with the 2006 Merlot, it was fantastic. The slight fruitiness and smooth finish of the merlot balanced out the saltiness in the dish. I really enjoyed this pairing and my favorite dish of the night.

course 3: filet mignon, mashed potatoes, haricot vert

Our main course was a filet mignon paired with a 2006 Syrah. My filet was slightly overdone, but I like my steaks medium rare. Still, the filet was incredibly tender and extremely flavorful. However, my favorite thing on this plate was the mashed potatoes. Yes, I love my potatoes and these were exceptional! I also really enjoyed the texture of the haricot verts, a nice contrast to the creamy potatoes. The spicy notes in the full-bodied Syrah stood up well with the bold flavors of the dish - another successful pairing.

course 4: bread pudding, pumpkin cotton candy

The last course of the night was the bread pudding with pumpkin cotton candy paired with a 2006 Zinfandel. This dish really took me to a winter and hoilday state of mind. Living in Los Angeles, it is difficullt to feel and see the seasons, but this dish gave me a glimpse of what a white christmas would be like. The cotton candy had a lot of pumpkin flavor and the bread pudding was also fantastic. The sweet and spicy notes from the Zinfandel complemented the flavors of pumpkin and cinnamon so well. It was a fabulous end to a great meal.

I've never been to an underground dinner this size, I've only been to much smaller ones. After having this experience, I have to say my dining companion and I really enjoyed ourselves. Not only was the space and decorations beautiful, but the high energy of the people was contagious. You can't come here and not enjoy yourself. I had a wonderful time all thanks to Jackie and Chef Amy!

To snag a seat at the next "food rave," check out Chef Amy's page and get on the mailing list!

You can find more information on the wines served this night on Monte De Oro's page.

Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure & Buick Regal Event @ SLS Hotel

2011-01-11T23:52:00.000-08:00

Buick teamed up with Food & Wine and Travel + Leisure magazine to help promote their new, "sports-injected" Regal and led a nationwide campaign called the Regal Discovery Tour. Due to the size and nature of the event, the attendees were separated into different groups to ensure the highest quality of enjoyment. The event, itself, was also broken into different modules: Mixology, Travel, Artisan and Transportation.

Upon our arrival, we were greeted with a spread of drinks and small bites. Along with shrimp ceviche, there were chips and guacamole for everyone to enjoy while sipping on their coffee or tea. There were also granola bars and chocolates to satisfy the health-conscious and sweet-tooth. I nibbled on the goods while waiting for my group to be called.

My group was finally called and was taken into a room where Michael Green would demonstrate making a Ginger Green Tea Sour Mocktail. While listening to the humorous host, we made our mocktail which was quite refreshing and delicious. Here is a list of the ingredients as well as the directions:

Ingredients:

6 ounces green tea brewed full strength

1 ounce fresh lime juice

1 ounce ginger simple syrup*

1 lime wedge

Directions:

1. Fill a 12 ounce Collins glass with large ice cubes

2. Build the drink by adding the green tea, fresh lime juice and ginger simple syrup

3. Stir with bar spoon.

4. Garnish with a lime wedge

*Ginger Simple Syrup:

1/2 cup finely sliced ginger

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

1. Add all ingredients to sauce pan

2. Stir

3. Cover and bring to simmer for 15 minutes

4. Let cool overnight at room temperature

5. Strain ginger

Next, we were taken into another room for the Travel portion of the event. Here, Michael Stern of Road Food would talk about his culinary adventures around the U.S., specifically regional food. His anecdotes about his road trips filled with great food reminded me of how much I have yet to discover.

After a short break, we were escorted to the Artisan portion where Chef Joe Anguiano would discuss the food at the SLS hotel and molecular gastronomy. He demonstrated a dish on the Bazaar menu, the watermelon and tomato dish, while his sous chef showed us how to make the famous olive spheres.

olive spheres

watermelon and tomato, Pedro Ximenez reduction, lemon dressing

The last module of the event was test driving the new Buick Regal, not shown - obviously. After the test-drive, all the groups met for the final presentation with celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson. We were handed out cocktails or mocktails, whichever you prefer. Chef Marcus Samuelsson would be demonstrating his delicious Shrimp & Red Grits dish.

Ingredients:
1 red onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon paprika powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup grits
1 bay leaf
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
1 cup corn
1/2 cup white wine
3 cups water
juice from 2 lemons
12 U-12 shrimp, peeled & deveined
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
salt & pepper, to taste
8 cherry tomatoes, halved

Directions:
1. Add onion, garlic, half the dry spices and half the olive oil in a pan. Add the grits and bay leaf, saute for 30 seconds. Add canned tomato. Add corn. Add half the white wine and water. Let simmer for 25 minutes.
2. In a bowl, add half the lemon juice, a tablespoon of the olive oil, remaining spices and shrimp. Let sit for 15 minutes.
3. In a pan, saute the shrimp and remaining garlic on high heat for 3 minutes. Toss in remaining lemon juice, remaining white wine, chopped parsley and chopped cilantro. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add cherry tomatoes and serve.
4. To serve, place 2 table spoons of grits in a bowl. Top with 3 shrimp per bowl.

As a parting gift, everyone was given Chef Marcus Saumelsson's new cookbook, New American Table. Awesome! The event was unique and a great marketing strategy, partnering with a celebrity chef to promote a car will definitely broaden the company's target demographic. I would have never test-driven a Buick Regal if it weren't for this event. The Regal I drove was fully loaded and honestly, pretty damn nice - very smooth. I had a lot of fun and learned a lot. Kudos to whoever made this tour happen!

SLS Hotel

465 South La Cienega Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90048
T: (310) 247-0400
www.slshotels.com

Average Ramen in Tokyo Trumps Best Ramen in LA: Kouryu (Akihabara, Tokyo, Japan)

2011-01-05T17:51:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!!

It is already 2011 and it's been 2 months since my trip to Japan and yet here I am, still trying to finish up my Tokyo posts... The holiday season has been pretty crazy for me and it finally feels like all the madness is dying down. Hopefully, this will mean my backlog will shrink and I'll actually get some work done.

Now, back to the task at hand...

Our vacation was coming to an end and we still had so much to see and do. Even though we knew visiting the temples at Asakusa would be a tourist trap, we couldn't resist. Yes, it was crowded as hell, but it was a good experience. The temples were beautiful and so was the weather, a perfect day for sightseeing. As soon as we got to the temples there were little kids dressed in traditional gowns bowing and dancing - very cute. After the kids, there was the dragon act that could barely make it through the crowds. Total show for the tourists, but yes, I ate it up.

I think out of all the places we've been to, this place had to be the most crowded. It took skill to maneuver through and around the crowds. J says I walk like I drive... haha. It's not my fault my normal walking speed is faster than the average person's! We stopped by one of the many food/snack shops mixed in with the souvenir shops, a homemade fried bean cake stand. We munched on the green tea and red bean ones to hold us over until lunch. We still needed to go to Akihabara, the land of electronics...

Since my itinerary got so mixed up from the previous days I didn't have a lunch spot already in mind when we got to Akihabara. So, we just roamed around looking for a ramen shop. It didn't take us too long to find one, since there is a ramen shop on almost every corner in all of Tokyo. We stumbled upon a small ramen shop called Kouryo, a chain ramen restaurant around Tokyo. J and I already knew that most ramen places take their orders by ticket, so we didn't look too foolish trying to order. Thank God there were pictures of the ramen...

I ordered a regular chasu ramen and J ordered a chasu ramen that came with all these other things. I tasted his and mine, both were the same. His had more texture due to other ingredients, but the soup and noodles were the same. The ramen was really good. We were tired and hungry so it totally hit the spot. I know this wasn't one of the best ramens in Tokyo, but still, it was better than most ramen noodles I've had in LA. Obviously. The noodles were chewey and had great texture - very slurpable! The soup wasn't too oily or heavy. The chasu was okay, I think I've had better chasu in ramen at a ramen place in Torrance (I don't remember the name). All in all, a very satisfying lunch!

After we finished our bowls of ramen, we headed back out to the streets to hunt down more souvenirs to take home. Also, by this time, J had become obsessed with figurines and was on a mission. But, in the midst of all this figurine madness, my usual after-dinner sweets craving came to play. And, on cue, we saw the Crazy Crepe stand.

There were so many options, but I wanted something simple: custard with strawberries. Simple and delicious. It was sweet, but light. I love how they roll it up so it's easy to eat while you walk. After our quick dessert, we still roamed the streets of Akhiabara. It really is the capital of electronics... I've never seen so many T.V.'s and other electronics in one place in my life. If Ginza is what a girl's heaven would look like, I'm sure Akihabara is heaven for the fellas. Technology and maid cafes? Of course...

The rest of the day seemed like a blur. We hopped over to several other parts of Tokyo in search of souvenirs and figurines, only to return to... Tokyu Hands. I'm telling you this place has everything! Maybe since the week was almost over and we only had a couple of days left, but the days kept getting shorter. I felt like I had been in Tokyo for a while, but at the same time my time here felt extremely short. So short that I would forget all the memories here within a day... So fleeting that it felt like I was dreaming while I was awake... I'll probably wake up at home in bed... I was homesick, but was not ready to leave.

At least my full tummy reminded me that I was still there.

Kouryu

4-14-1 Akihabara 2F

Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku

P: 03-5207-8410

Nearest Station: Akihabara

http://ramen-kouryu.jp/

Wolvesden: Underground Dining for the Brave & Hungry

2010-12-26T21:50:00.000-08:00

After I returned from my trip to Japan, there was one meal I was extremely looking forward to and that was to Craig Thornton's Wolvesden dinner. There has been an emergence of pop-up restaurants and underground dinners in the Los Angeles food scene and Wolvesden is the new hot ticket right now. While I think Chef Ludo started the whole pop-up restaurant craze in Los Angeles with his Ludobites dinners, I remember being exposed to my first underground dinner back in 2006 with Ghetto Gourmet. I fell in love with the idea of having an intimate dinner while bonding with strangers over the love of food. This Wolvesden dinner was just that: intimate yet professional.

After hearing great things amongst the bloggers about Craig and his dinners, I knew I was in for a treat. Encouraged to bring your own beverage (wine, beer, whatever you want), J and I brought a red wine (I can't remember what I brought - oops) and a six pack of Asahi Black (one of J's favorite beers). Since the other diners were generous with their wine, we didn't even get to touch the beer. But, I'm sure they were enjoyed by Julian and the others!

course 1: scallop, pasta carbonara puree, snap peas

Due to some traffic, we were really late for the dinner. Thank goodness we made it just in time for our first course, a perfectly seared scallop with a carbonara puree. I really enjoyed the play amongst the textures in this dish. The soft scallop against the silky puree and crunchy snap peas was a lovely introduction to the meal.

course 2: trout, butternut squash, hazlenut oil, hazlenuts

Next up was the trout with butternut squash and hazlenuts. The sweetness of the butternut squash overpowered the fish a bit for me, but other than that I thought the trout was cooked beautifully.

course 3: tomatoes, homemade ranch, endive

The tomato course was a simple dish, yet it was a highlight for me. I'm not picky about a lot of things, but I am sometimes about tomatoes. I usually don't like them in my burgers or sandwiches because I hate soggy tomatoes and lettuce. But, I really enjoy tomato salads, especially when done simply. This dish was not only simple, but fantastic. The homemade ranch is as I would say, money. Even J, who does not generally like tomatoes, thought this was wonderfully prepared.

course 4: lobster, celery root puree, celery seed vermouth lobster broth, crispy soft crouton

One hit after another... The lobster course was one of my favorite courses of the night. I'm such a sucker for lobster, but who isn't? The lobster was perfectly cooked and went really well with the silky celery root puree. The broth had a slight grassy flavor and bitterness from the celery seed, but was rounded out by the lobster. The crouton was a very nice touch and its presence elevated the dish from good to great. Loved it.

course 5: rabbit, saddle, leg, carrot, black truffle pie crust

Next course was the rabbit with black truffle pie crust. The rabbit was tender and moist while the pie crust was earthy and crunchy. The carrot was a nice touch and yes, it totally reminded me of Thumper. Sad, but delicious.

course 6: pork belly, yam pork broth, watermelon radish

The pork belly was fatty and super tender - just really delicious. But, the star of the dish for me was the yam pork broth. It was extremely addicting. I also really enjoyed the watermelon radish which was needed to cut the fattiness of the pork. Another fabulous dish.

course 7: passion fruit

We were served passion fruit as a palate cleanser. I've never had a real passion fruit, always had it in different forms, never raw. It was outstanding - my new favorite fruit!

course 8: squab, crispy squab skin, beet, squab sauce, pumpernickel, chanterelle mushroom

For our last savory course, we were served a perfectly cooked squab accompanied with its crispy skin. The meat was juicy and went well with the sweetness of the pumpernickel bread and the earthiness of the mushrooms. The bits of crispy skin was fun to eat and added a nice textural contrast to the tender squab.

course 9: maple beer fritters, cheddar, Arkansas black apple, apple cider

Moving onto the cheese and dessert course, our next course was maple beer fritters with cheddar and apples. Cheese and apples is not an uncommon pair, some friends of mine from Boston have told me about an old New England traditional dish where they put cheddar on top of their apple pie. Although I've never personally had it, this dish immediately reminded me of my friends. I thought this combination was really great. The sweetness from the maple beer fritters and apples was a nice complement to the salty and gooey cheddar cheese - awesome flavor combination.

course 10: cereal milk ice cream, brown butter coffee rice crispy treats

The last course of the night was tied in the book with the lobster course for my favorite dish of the night. The whole meal was pretty amazing, but I am a serious lover of cereal and cereal milk so this dish was a winner before I even had my first bite. If this dessert was at a restaurant, I would go back just to eat it. It sounds pretty simple, but the best dishes are the ones that tug at your heartstrings and immediately remind you of your childhood. Well, for me it wasn't just my childhood... It was my entire life because I eat a lot of cereal... a lot.

The dinner was fantastic, one of the better meals I've had all year. While I had a great culinary experience in Japan, this meal reminded me of all the exciting things that are happening in my hometown. I was home and it was good to be back.

If you want to get in on one of these dinners, get on the mailing list at www.wolvesmouth.com

Gone to Yakiniku Heaven: Jojoen (Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan)

2010-12-15T23:55:00.000-08:00

After a whole day spent looking through massive amounts of anime merchandise and shopping for souvenirs to take back home, the thought of laying down in my hotel seemed like a dream. J and I, along with his friend, headed back to our hotel to rest. Although our hotel room was tiny, it was big enough for everyone to sit down and rest their feet... thank goodness.

Originally, I wanted to have yakitori for dinner but J wanted yakiniku so we decided on Jojoen (I guess all boys prefer meat over chicken). Jojoen is an upscale yakiniku restaurant with several locations throughout Tokyo, one of them being right in Shinjuku near our hotel. Although we got to rest our feet, I didn't want to put on my tight boots with my swollen feet. So, I changed outfits in order to wear my comfortable boots. What a world of a difference...

The night air was crisp, but it wasn't cold, it was actually perfect for a walk around the city. The walk to Jojoen was short, but long enough to get my stomach growling. J and I heard from our friend back home that Jojoen was fantastic, but I wasn't really excited for it, probably because it wasn't a part of my itinerary. For me, meat is meat. The best yakiniku I had in the States was good, but it wasn't life changing (but, hey, I still haven't had Totoraku). Even though I wasn't expecting much, I should have known better. Even fast food joints in Tokyo are incredible compared to their brothers and sisters in the U.S.

Being the alcoholic that I am, of course, I had to order a drink with dinner. Okay, I'm not an alcoholic, but I noticed that I almost cannot ever eat dinner without a glass of somethin' somethin' on the side. Since the boys didn't want to drink, I was forced to order beer instead of sake or shochu. The cold beer was so refreshing and definitely took the edge off.

I want to say how much I loved the yuzu sauce on the left. J and I both really loved this sauce while M liked the sweeter one on the right.

cucumber kimchi

The cucumber kimchi is a great example of the restraint shown in Japanese cuisine. This side dish was much milder in heat when compared to its original Korean, but still had a lot of wonderful flavor and went so well with the meats.

tan shioyaki (seasoned tongue)

Whenever I eat yakiniku or Korean BBQ, I always order beef tongue. It is one of my absolute favorite types of meat to eat. When cooked perfectly, the tender texture and the distinct flavor just sing in your mouth.

akami jo rousu usugiri yaki (sliced prime rib loin)

We moved onto what I think was the prime rib loin. I'm not sure so please don't quote me on that. The lean beef was tasty and nice change from the tongue.

jo karubi yaki (prime-marbled galbi)

Next was the prime marbled karubi yaki which was an amazing piece of meat. The sweetness of the sauce was subtle and the meat was so tender. The meat would still be juicy without the marinade. With one bite, we were all in yakiniku heaven. Absolutely amazing. I wish we saved this for last... Hell, if I'm going to wish anything, I wish I got five plates of this for myself.

karubi yaki (galbi)

After the amazing prime karubi yaki, we decided to stick with a cheaper cut of karubi. While it was cheaper, the flavor and quality of the meat were still great.

pork (I don't know the Japanese name)

Maybe because I'm Korean and Koreans always eat pork whenever we BBQ, but I couldn't pass up a plate of pork. A grilled slice of pork always reminds me of home. Only things that were missing was a lettuce leaf and some gochujang. The pork, just like the beef, was exceptional.

green tea & vanilla ice cream

We only had a few plates of meat, but we were pretty full by this point. None of us were big eaters so it was the perfect amount of food for the perfect level of fullness. The meal came with your choice of ice cream. J and I, of course, chose green tea while M got the vanilla which came with a chocolate sauce. The ice cream came in the perfect portion size for me - nice little dessert to end a great meal.

This meal really showed me how important the quality of ingredients is to a great dining experience and how Japanese cuisine showcases these qualities. Even though we didn't over indulge in the plethora of awesome meats, I felt my short time in yakiniku heaven has left a lasting impression. After my return to the states, I have been quietly but actively searching for this same yakiniku experience. Totoraku, I'm looking at you... While I'm sure there are probably better yakinku places in Tokyo, I can safely say Jojoen is the best I've ever had.

Jojoen
Musashi Bldg.
7F, 3-27-10
Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Nearest Station: Shinjuku
www.jojoen.co.jp

Food Theme Parks: Gyoza Stadium & Ice Cream City (Ikebukuro, Tokyo, Japan)

2010-12-09T23:48:00.000-08:00

Traveling around a foreign city without speaking the native language can be difficult. So when J's friend, who lives in Japan, came out with us for a day, I was elated. It was good for J to see his friend, but it was even better for my neurotic ass to have some peace of mind. The limitations of the language barrier would be erased with the presence with J's friend. I can hear the angels singing...

M met us at our hotel and, together, we headed out to Ikebukuro. The only reason why we headed to Ikebukuro was because I wanted to visit Namjatown, home of the Gyoza Stadium and Ice Cream City. Yes, you read that right. Your eyes are not playing tricks on you. Gyoza Stadium. Ice Cream City. I knew it was going to be a tourist trap, but I didn't care. I was a tourist, dammit. Trap me!

Namjatown is inside the Sunshine City Mall which is pretty big, but you won't get lost. Follow the cat and you'll find your way. Namjatown is basically your food amusement park. The place is kitschy so be prepared for sensory overload. Luckily, there wasn't a large crowd because we went during the week. We went straight to the Gyoza Stadium, reminiscent of old Japan there were many different stalls of gyoza stands to choose from. We picked one and decided to try two different kinds. I honestly can't remember which ones we got, but they were both delicious. Made right on the spot, the gyoza were crispy on the outside and warm on the inside with lots of flavor.

After our gyoza fix, we headed to ice cream city. Since the boys weren't really big fans of ice cream, I only got to try two flavors. There was every flavor you could possibly think of. The flavors ranged from your traditional vanilla to your not-so-traditional. And when I say nontraditional, I mean really out there flavors. I saw eel and bean paste and even uni! Crazy, I know...

honey & wasabi ice cream

I decided on honey and wasabi. The honey was good, but nothing special. The wasabi ice cream, on the other hand, was delicious. It was sweet at first, but had the wasabi finish. It was very interesting, in a good way. If you love ice cream, it's definitely a flavor you should try.

Afterward, we spotted a store called Animate that M had heard about from his friends at school (He goes to school for animation). This store had nine floors of just anime goodness, each floor focusing on different merchandise. One floor was just dedicated to the books, while another was dedicated to figurines and another dedicated to posters, etc. A popular place, every floor was packed with people. I could have enjoyed this more if my feet weren't killing me, but I guess I didn't learn my lesson from the day before. By the time we left and got back to our hotel, my feet were swollen and my toes bruised. Damn you, boots! It didn't help that we got lost and were roaming around outside the mall. I guess you get lost regardless if you speak Japanese or not, especially when it is everyone's first time at Ikebukuro.

Regardless of the usual aching feet, the day was fun and productive. Once we were done at Animate, we found a chain store called Tokyu Hands that has almost everything you can imagine. Okay, not everything, but it was the perfect place to go souvenir shopping. I think we spent a good couple of hours in there just overwhelmed at all the cool stuff. J liked it so much that we ended up coming here again on a different day to finish our shopping. The shopping was mostly for him and his "cool figurines." I swear if I didn't stop him he would have bought everything in the store! Eventually, my feet could not take it anymore and we had to head back to the hotel. We had to rest before we went back out for the night...

I forgot how much "work" going on vacation on was...

Namjatown

Sunshinecity World
Bldg.2･3F
3-1 Higashi-ikebukuro, Toshima-ku , Tokyo
Nearest Station: Higashi-Ikebukuro
www.namja.jp

Sugarfish: New Location in Downtown!

2010-12-03T13:01:00.000-08:00

We interrupt your regular scheduled programming for this emergency broadcast.

I wanted to get all of my Tokyo posts done before I started reviewing places I had eaten after my trip, but as you can see, it's taking me forever... After my return from Tokyo, I was invited to a dine at Sugarfish at their new downtown location. I've dined at the Brentwood location several times, so I already knew what to expect: good sushi at affordable prices.

Emmanuel, the brains behind Sugarfish, was a great host and even joined us for dinner. His view that amazing sushi could be eaten at great prices is what started this whole Sugarfish phenomenon. The experience of the customer is always top priority and this practice can be seen when customers are instructed on how to eat the sushi. Emmanuel explained how their top quality ingredients are meant to be eaten with a "Nozawa Bite," which intends you to eat the dish right away.

While you can choose items a la carte, there are three different types of meals you can choose from that is reminiscent of the traditional "omakase." These three include the Trust Me Lite ($19.50), Trust Me ($28.50) and our dinner set for the evening, The Nozawa ($35-38).

edamame

tuna sashimi, ponzu sauce

I like how all the sets start with edamame and this great tuna sashimi dish. The scallions and ponzu sauce really make this dish what it is: delicious.

salmon sushi

snapper sushi, chili ponzu

When Emmanuel told me that the snapper sushi comes with chili ponzu, I initially thought the sauce would overpower the delicate fish. However, with my first bite, I realized the ponzu was delicate as well. It was a great flavor combination.

albacore sushi

halibut sushi, yuzu ponzu

The halibut sushi is one of my usual favorites. I love the acidity and citrus notes from the yuzu ponzu sauce making this sauce my favorite out of the different types of ponzu they prepare.

yellowtail sushi

blue crab hand roll & toro hand roll (not pictured)

Another one of my favorites is the blue crab hand roll! Yes, the toro roll was delicious, but my heart always goes to the crab (it is one of my favorite things to eat of all time!). The cool crab with the warm, loose rice and the crunch of the amazing seaweed is probably one of the best bites you will have.

daily special: scallop special

albacore belly sushi

engawa (halibut fin), yuzu ponzu

After we finished up our scallop sushi, which was the special for that day, Emannuel asked if we wanted anything else. Being the uni lover that I am, this was my obvious first choice, unfortunately for me, they were all out for the night. Having had engawa before, I knew the texture would be firm and a bit chewy, but the flavor would be nice.

I was so full and buzzed at the end of our meal (J drank a bottle of Yebisu and I had a bottle of the lovely Hakkaisan sake), but I was amazed at how much Emmanuel could eat. He had eaten the same Nozawa course at an earlier dinner with another blogger. I was amazed! The meal was great and I have been craving great sushi ever since I got back from Japan. Emmanuel not only took great care of us but was so informative about the ingredients. His passion for amazing sushi and the Sugarfish brand shined throughout the meal.

Sugarfish

600 W 7th Street, Suite 150 (7th & South Grand)
Los Angeles, CA 90017
P: (213) 627-3000
www.sugarfishsushi.com

The Best Tonkatsu of My Life: Maisen (Harajuku/Omotesando, Tokyo, Japan)

2010-11-17T15:44:00.000-08:00

Honestly, by the second day of my Tokyo trip I knew that my touring plan and my eating plan were quite unrealistic. I definitely underestimated how much we would walk and how tiring it would be... The usual Helen would make it a point to still hit up every single restaurant that was originally planned, no matter how inconvenient it was. But, the new "vacation" Helen decided to take this trip as a big learning experience and enjoy the trip for what it was: a wonderful week of exploring the beautiful city with my awesome bf.

I say all this because this post is exactly about that.

Before my trip, I had this very detailed and quite pretty looking itinerary sheet done on excel that laid out every little thing we were going to be doing each day. However, this was the day that excel sheet became nothing more than a scrap piece of paper. Okay, I exaggerate... It wasn't scrap, but so many things got switched and changed around, I just stared at that sheet with loathsome longing. I hated how it looked now... folded, marked on and just... different.

This was the day I realized I paid more attention to this piece of paper than my actual experience. I will not be a control freak... I will not be a control freak... So, J and I decided to just head to Harajuku and take it from there. The whole point of going on vacation is getting lost and then finding yourself, right? (I swear I don't mean to be corny...)

We took the JR train to the busy Harajuku station and walked over to the not as busy Yoyogi Park. I was expecting all these crazy people inside this park, but once we went in, I felt a little underwhelmed. I mean, we were in Harajuku and I read that Yoyogi Park was filled with interesting people. However, the scene was pretty tame. Most of the action was outside the park's entrance; we saw a group of dancers pop lockin' and another group of teens rehearsing a battle scene on our way out.

After Yoyogi Park, we then went on this quest to find a Samurai Gallery that J had read in our tour guide book (borrowed from our friend, Ryo - Thanks Ryo!). This gallery was pretty far (well, at least that's what my feet thought), so we walked and walked and walked. Of course, we stopped by a few stores and took pictures and all that fascinating touristy stuff, but mostly, we just walked. Holy mother of baby Jesus, we walked a lot.

side note: the stores in Harajuku are ridiculously cute. I wanted to buy everything in every single store!

We finally, sort of, get near this gallery... You see, it's really difficult to navigate around Tokyo with just an address because the numbers in front of the address are not numbered by sequence. No, they refer to what district or neighborhood and in what order the building was built on that block. (-_-) So, we finally find the building, but we can't find the gallery. Or we did find it, but it just so happened that it turned into a bar/restaurant instead... Maybe the ways of the Samurai were not for us...

As soon as we gave up on the gallery, my feet decided to give up on me. They were pulsing and aching - practically yelling all kinds of curses with each pulse (of course, this was me cursing at myself for wearing my not-so-comfy, but oh-so-cute boots). Good thing I remembered reading about a famous tonkatsu place called Maisen in Harajuku. I already had a tonkatsu place picked out for us to eat (NOT in Harajuku), but what can you do when you are hungry and in desperate need of a chair?

You walk some more to find that chair.

green tea and daikon

We arrived at Maisen about ten minutes later and we were immediately seated. Fabulous. The green tea and daikon were brought out and I kid you not, I was so tempted to slurp the entire dish of daikon down. But, of course I didn't. I'm a lady...

potato salad

I had to order a side of potato salad, since I am obsessed with them, especially the ones from Asian restaurants (usually Korean or Japanese). This was probably the best potato salad I've ever had. I loved the flavors and the crunch of the cucumbers - it was perfect.

soba and katsu combination meal

J wanted something light and refreshing so he opted for the soba and katsu combination meal. The combo came with shrimp katsu and something else that I cannot remember, as well as pickled vegetables. The soba noodles were nice and chewey, perfect for slurping. After a full day of walking around and shopping, the cold noodles with the pickled vegetables were very refreshing.

kurobuta tonkatsu meal

While J's soba noodles were nice, I wanted to EAT. I ordered the kurobuta tonkatsu meal not really realizing what a treat I was in for. The price tag was pretty steep for tonkatsu (Y2,995), so I had to see what this kurobuta pork was all about. When you order the kurobuta tonkatsu meal, they give you this amazing special tonkatsu sauce to go with the cutlet. The sauce is indescribable... just plain delicious with so much flavor. The fatty $35 kurobuta pork, was... heavenly. It was so fatty and juicy, something I've never experienced before with tonkatsu. I've always had good, but mostly dry pork cutlets and this, by far, was the best tonkatsu of my life. The sweetness from the sauce held up well against the fattiness of the pork. It was just plain amazing. How I'll ever go back to regular pork cutlets, I do not know...

sorbet

Since the combo meals came with dessert, we were served a sorbet at the end of our meal. I think it was a mango sorbet, but I could be wrong. Nonetheless, it was sweet and tart, great way to cleanse my palate after the fatty kurobuta tonkatsu.

With our feet rested and our stomachs full, we headed back out for some more walking and shopping. Like I said before, there are so many cute stores and clothes in Harajuku! It was bittersweet... I was loving all the shops, but I was hating the fact that I couldn't shop. I'm on a budget, yo... Seeing the pain in my face, J bought me a pair of really cute capri pants with suspenders. Told ya he was awesome. Besides all the cute clothing stores, there was this great jewelry store right in front of the Harajuku station with a lot of cute items. So, if you're ever there, check it out!

Even though the day did not go according to my plan, it was fun and eventful. When I look back at it now, I'm even glad we walked forever in search of the non-existent Samurai Gallery. We were tired, but it was something we did together.

But, damn, this post is making me want to spend $30 on a pork cutlet and SHOP TIL I DROP. See everyone at the Thanksgiving sales!!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

gobble gobble, kids....

Maisen
4-85 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku
81-3-3470-0071
http://www.mai-sen.com/
Nearest Station: Omotesando

Breakfast of Champions: Sushi Dai (Tsukiji Market, Tokyo, Japan)

2010-11-10T12:06:00.000-08:00

J and I woke up before the crack of dawn (4:00 a.m. to be exact) so we can head out to the world-famous Tsukiji fish market. It was still dark when we walked out of our hotel, but the crisp morning air woke me up immediately. It was our first day in the city and there was a noticeable bounce in my step. The city was still sleeping, but I was ready to start my day.

My heart raced as we got closer to our destination... Sushi, my love... here, I come.

First days mean first everythings... It was our first time riding the subway, it was our first time trying to navigate through the city, it was our first time well.... being up at 4 a.m. to eat sushi... I love how trips force you to change your every day routine and help you to realize how much more you are capable of doing.

After a twenty minute train ride, we exited the train station and made our way to Sushi Dai, the famous sushi restaurant inside the Tsukiji market. Immediately, I smelled fish, not in an offensive way, but in that beautiful, salty, oceanic way. Besides the smell, another reaction I had was to the high energy level of this place. If you're not careful you can get run over by one of the many "turret trucks" zooming past you carrying fish and other goods all over the market. While trying not to get run over, we were borderline walking and running to avoid the inevitable massive line that forms outside - too late. The line was... like I said, inevitable. But, the line didn't seem too long... it was only an hour wait.

the wait

Sushi Dai

The restaurant itself is very small, small by American standards, but probably just fine and dandy in the minds of the Japanese. The place seats about 12-13 people at a time and like most Japanese restaurants, it is cash only. To speed up the process of waiting, a wonderful Japanese lady assists us in the how to form/stand in the line and when you get close enough to the front, she will also take your order (omakase? which size? everything ok?).

green tea

After an hour long of waiting and staring into the window at the faces of those happily stuffing their face with all the different types of sushi, it was finally our turn. We were seated in the corner and instructed to put our bags and jackets on top of a shelf along side the opposite wall of the sushi chefs. We were greeted with green tea which was a much deeper green color than what we are served in the States. It has a bolder green tea flavor and very soothing.

ginger

At Sushi Dai, they serve the sushi right on top of the counter. And as soon as we sat down, the amiable sushi chef smiled and set down the best ginger I've had in my life. I know, it's just ginger.. ginger is ginger. But, this ginger was on another level compared to what I've had before. It had more vinegar flavor, which I adore, which tempered the strong ginger flavor.

toro

We started off with a beautiful piece of toro that was so soft it melted in my mouth. The cut was generous and the fish/rice ratio was perfect.

hirame (fluke, flounder)

Next up was hirame, much milder and leaner than the toro. It was a nice contrast in both texture and flavor.

miso soup

By the time we were served the hirame, our miso soup came out. Filled with seaweed and fish with the bones, the aroma from this soup was absolutely divine! With the first sip, you can really taste the depth in flavor from the fish and its bones.

tai (red snapper)

The color on the tai sushi was a gorgeous since the cut I got showcased the lovely red strip on the side. This picture almost looks like a golden eye snapper or kinmedai, but it is not. The snapper was extremely fresh, which you could tell by its soft texture.

tamago (sweet egg omelet)

I'm usually used to tamago being served towards the end of the meal, but in this case it was served right in the middle. I didn't mind this mini intermission and thought the tamago had the perfect amount of sweetness and a great fluffy texture.

uni (sea urchin)

The intermission came just in time... The brief break allowed me to fully bask in the briny and sweet flavor of one of my favorite things to eat: uni. The uni in Japan, which is from Hokkaido, is clearly different from the Santa Barbara uni that we are all used to. A friend of mine who had the Japanese uni told me she favored the Santa Barbara uni because the Japanese one was more "salty." J, on the other hand, thought the complete opposite. He does not enjoy uni, he'll eat it, but he won't order it. But, as soon as he ate the uni from Hokkaido, I swear I saw a twinkle in his eye. He thought it was much sweeter than the uni he has had in the States. I, too, thought it was utterly orgasmic.

magurozuke (marinated tuna)

We move onto a brightly red magurozuke. The marinated tuna was beautiful to look at and looked almost too amazing to eat. The cut was, once again, generous and the hint of wasabi left a perfect lingering of heat.

hokigai (surf clam)

Next, we were given some sort of clam that was so fresh, it was still moving! I've been debating with myself if this is surf clam or red clam. It definitely looks different from what I've been served for both, but I chose to go with surf clam because the coloration matched a bit more. If anyone can clarify this for me, it would be much appreciated! Well, despite my lack of knowledge behind this dish, it was one of my favorites of the night. This wasn't surprising since I generally do really enjoy all kinds of clam sushi. The texture was not chewey at all, just snappy - a great bite.

ikura (salmon roe)

The ikura was salty, but not overwhelming. I love how they pop in my mouth, which is a characteristic I know some don't really care for. This was another case where J really enjoyed the ikura from Japan, but never liked it in the States. This was the biggest surprise for both of us.

shiro ebi (baby shrimp)

I was really looking forward to the baby shrimp since I've never had it. The texture was a mixture of creamy and slimy, while the flavor was sweet but also slightly briny. It was outstanding - one of our favorites of the meal.

toro maki (toro cut roll)

The toro maki, two with cucumbers and two without, was next. Eaten with just a little bit of soy sauce, these definitely pushed me to the "I'm full" point. At this point, I look over to J and see that he was definitely past the "I'm full" and venturing into "I'm uncomfortably full." Never really eating breakfast in the morning (he loves breakfast food, but never in the morning), I knew J was pushing himself to finish. I gave him the encouraging "hang in there" look...

aji (horse mackerel)

Here, we have the aji, which is an oilier fish that tends to have a fishier taste. I personally like mackerel and enjoy the fishy taste, but J doesn't. In the end, it didn't really matter because the fishy taste was fairly mild due to the ginger and onions on top that broke up the oiliness of the fish.

unagi (freshwater eel)

The last selection chosen by the chef was the unagi that was lightly dressed with sauce. I found the texture of the unagi to be a lot smoother than what I'm used to, which I adored. The eel was warm and sweet and very delicious.

After we finished off our unagi sushi, the chef told us we could choose our last piece. Of course, I chose the uni and J chose the toro. He was so full by this point, I ended up eating the toro... I could barely finish my uni, but I took one for the team and ate his toro (nice teamwork, huh?).

uni

toro

After we finished our amazing sushi breakfast, we saw that the line for Sushi Dai had grown twice as long. The wait was now over 2 hours. I was so glad to have beat that horrendous queue! We walked around the fish market and tried our best to stay out of people's way. The tuna auction was long over by this point so it wasn't as hectic and as crowded as it was earlier in the morning. It was a bit overwhelming at first, all my senses were on high alert. I smelled ocean, but each corner I turned that scent morphed into another scent altogether. I saw lobsters to uni to tuna to baby shrimp... you name it, it was there.

Yes, the fish market was crazy, but the real journey, for us, began after leaving the Tsukiji market.

Why? Because we got lost.... of course.

We ended up taking the train going in the opposite direction which resulted in a twenty minute detour. But, it was all a part of being on vacation and exploring the city, so we remained in good spirits. Regardless of getting lost, J and I tried to go to the Imperial Palace Gardens, but, sadly, they were closed. So, instead, we decided to walk to the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo which was about "3 football fields away" (J's words, not mine). Felt more like 5 football fields....

There was another line forming to get inside the museum, but it was all senior citizens. J and I were the only younger ones in line. I'm guessing it was so popular because the Uemura Shoen exhibit was ending... Don't ask me who Uemura Shoen is...

Despite the museum being on multiple floors, the whole tour of the museum was pretty quick. I was getting tired, but I didn't want to waste the rest of the day so we headed to Ginza. Oh, Ginza... how i love thee.

LV and Chanel and Dior, OH MY!

Even during the daytime, all the shops are amazing. I wish I had the money to shop here every day.

After sightseeing and spending a good solid 2 hours in the Sony building, J and I needed to recharge. Still full from the sushi breakfast to eat a full lunch, we decided to get coffee (his favorite) and dessert (my favorite). We passed by this cafe while sightseeing which had a nice patio for people watching. Perfect.

coffee break

layered crepe cake

The iced coffee was refreshing, but the layered crepe cake was just AMAZING. It was so light and creamy - just plain delicious.

With my sweet tooth satisfied, I was exhausted and ready to head back. I needed to rest my feet and my mind. My first day exploring the city was, no doubt, more than tiring, but a small part of me felt like I had conquered something... I got my lazy ass to roam around the city desperately trying to stuff every essence of Japan into my being. I also stayed positive and good spirits throughout this somewhat stressful day. If you know me, you know getting lost is my number one pet peeve and staying positive under stress is extremely difficult for me. But, I had to let it go and go wth the flow.

Breathe and reboot.

I conquered myself. It was a good day.

Sushi Dai
5-2-1 #6 Tsukiji Market
3547-6797
Nearest Station: Tsukiji-shio

First Night in Tokyo: Tsunahachi (Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan)

2010-10-31T14:04:00.000-07:00

I got back from Tokyo last week and while my jet lag has subsided, my yearning for a life in Tokyo is burning brighter than ever. I want to pick up all my things and move there. It seems that this is the case for everyone who has visited this amazing city. Every one of my friends who has visited Tokyo say, "Oh, I said the same thing when I got back" - at least I am not alone.

Honestly, I was delaying the inevitable blog posts on Tokyo because a part of me believed that once written (well, typed, in this case), it confirmed my reality of what is here and what is not here: not Tokyo vs. Tokyo.

what I would give to go back again...

Another part didn't want to face the daunting task of figuring out how to break up my experience into neatly formed blog posts - by dates? by restaurants? by experience? In the end, I just decided to write about a particular and memorable dining experience and go from there. Sometimes you just have to go with the flow... Said, from a anal planner. (^_^) <- how fob of me!

After an 11 1/2 hour flight, 1 hour train ride and 1 hour of being lost with our luggage, we finally made it to our hotel in Shinjuku. According to my itinerary, we were to have dinner at Tsunahachi, a tempura house in Shinjuku that has been around for 80 years. We asked the "bell captain" for directions and he sent us on our way. It was refreshing to be in the city. As much as I love nature and the outdoors, I am a bonafide city girl. I love the hustle and bustle, the high energy of the city and it's inhabitants - always trying to get somewhere. It was exciting and strangely familiar. The brisk walk worked up our appetites, but also increased our exhaustion. We found our way to Tsunahachi and right away started speaking to us in Japanese. As soon as we spoke - "party of two" - they handed us the English menu and sat us in the upstairs seating area.

We chose to go with a dinner set and make things a lot easier. Rice and miso soup, the standard, were immediately given along with dipping sauce and two different kinds of grated radishes: regular and ume flavored. The latter being my favorite and stealing the show. The miso soup was extraordinary, full of little tiny clams, the broth was so flavorful and probably the best miso soup I've ever had.

prawns

The chef, who is cooking these right in front of you, started us off with prawns. With first bite, I was in absolute heaven! I'm not too crazy about tempura because in the States, they're all the same. Tempura never really stood out to me. Until now... They use their own special blend of oils to fry making the batter completely different from what I was used to. It wasn't as greasy or oily and had lots of flavor. The prawns itself was so moist and delicious - just plain fabulous.

cuttlefish

Next up was, I think, cuttlefish. I can't100% sure, but honestly, I didn't even try to ask what kind of fish it was. I just wanted to eat. The fish was moist and quite good. It was mild in flavor and not too "fishy."

shitake mushrooms

The mushrooms were next and these were one of my favorites of the night, right after the prawns. The slight sweetness from the batter went great with the earthiness from the mushrooms. The batter, again, was perfect - not too thick and wonderfully crispy.

anago

I've never had deep fried eel and I don't know why, but I was expecting to not like it. However, I found the eel to be incredibly tender and delicious. I guess, just like with bacon, deep-frying makes everything better.

kakiage of shrimp and scallops

Our last tempura of the night was a mix of chopped up prawns and scallops, another favorite of mine. I was incredibly full by this point, but I had to finish every bite of this. It was fantastic. The sweet and soft prawns and scallops with the crunchy texture of the batter was something out of this world.

Afterward, we were given some sliced pickled daikon to cleanse our palates from the oil. Both J and I were incredibly full and exhausted that we had to stay behind at the restaurant just a bit longer to not only digest, but to muster up the energy to walk our tired butts back to the hotel. Talk about your spoiled Americans...

On our way back, we went into an arcade filled with these crane claw machines, sticker picture booths and of course, all the latest Japanese arcade games from shooting zombies to racing cars. It seemed they had one of these on almost every block, all over city. I wanted to take sticker pictures, but since J and I both don't read or speak Japanese, that proved to be a challenge.

My first meal in Tokyo proved to be totally satisfying and just plain heavenly. I always knew the food in Japan would be amazing, but imagining and actually tasting are two different things. Even as we walked back and explored our neighborhood, I could not stop talking about the food. I think J tuned me out, as he usually does, but I didn't care. I was full and I was happy. The excitement of my vacation was slowly seeping in and I couldn't wait for what tomorrow would bring...

Tsunahachi

3-31-8 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

03-3352-1012

Nearest Station: Shinjuku

www.tsunahachi.com

back to reality....

2010-10-22T10:52:00.001-07:00

i miss tokyo.

Michael Voltaggio Event @ Williams-Sonoma

2010-10-06T15:57:00.000-07:00

Chef Michael Voltaggio recently partnered up with Williams-Sonoma for an event at their Beverly Hills location showcasing his food and their products. Voltaggio and his crew were there cooking up Voltaggio's creations using the cookware provided by Williams-Sonoma. Attendees could see Voltaggio in action, sample his food and purchase the very thing he used to make his dishes - all within an intimate setting. They had everything from the sous vide machine to knives to spice racks. Just being in there made me want to go home right away and cook something!

Voltaggio primarily stayed behind the counter spending most of his time cooking and answering questions. Here, you see him cutting up the sous vide meat for the banh mi. He did take pictures with whoever that asked and was quite gracious when showered with questions and compliments.

"bacon and eggs"

This was a delicious bite and I absolutely loved the bacon bits and the creamy egg yolk. I think I had at least two or three of these. Why can't I have this for breakfast every day?

banh mi with foie gras mousse

As you already know, I love almost anything with foie gras and this case was no different. Voltaggio's rendition of the banh mi was lovely. At first bite, you immediately notice the tender meat and the acid from the pickled vegetables. I loved how it finished off with just a hint of the foie gras mousse.

shrimp thai injection

salmon sous vide, onion streussel, tomato seeds, cream cheese snow, red onion fluid gel

The little bite of shrimp was definitely reminiscent of Thai flavors, but my favorite was the salmon sous vide with tomato seeds and cream cheese snow. That cream cheese snow was the best part and totally addicting. I also really loved the tomato seeds and the texture from the onion streussel.

After I had a few bites in, I headed towards the champagne. As a girl who can never say no to bubbly, I was ecstatic to see they were serving three different kinds. I didn't take notes on the subtle differences, but I did notice it on my palette as I was happily gulping down my dinner.

peach and burrata with balsamic foam

After my champagne fix, I turned my attention to the last bite of the evening, peach and burrata with balsamic foam. I had Voltaggio's ice cream version of the beach and burrata at the Angeleno Magazine's Chef's Night Out and was interested to taste his more literal interpretation. I really enjoyed the flavor combination of the creamy burrata and peach with the balsamic foam.

It was a nice turn out, not too crowded and great for mingling. It was great to see some of my TOTNLA family and catch up with them, especially since I was given great advice by a TOTNLA member when I spilled champagne all over my blackberry making it useless. The advice? Take the battery out and soak the phone in a bowl of rice. I went home and left it overnight and it worked! Thanks Christine! Can't wait to see you all at the next event!

Williams-Sonoma

339 N. Beverly Blvd.

Beverly Hills, CA 90210

(310) 274-9127

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/

Brunch Tasting @ Lazy Ox Canteen

2010-09-29T16:38:00.000-07:00

I haven't been going to any of the Yelp Elite events lately, so I was really hoping to get in on the brunch tasting elite event at Lazy Ox Canteen. Since my work schedule and other commitments have pretty much take over my nights and weekends, this event, which was on a Sunday morning, would be perfect fit for me. Luckily, I got in for the second seating and all I had to do was stay somewhat sober or just not hammered the night before and wake up in time.

After finding street parking, I walked my not-that-hungover ass over and saw that the first group was still not done. Most of the diners for the second seating seemed to have arrived as the bar area was farly crowded. I quickly grabbed a cold glass of water from the bartendar since it was your typical warm LA day and was ready to down the whole thing. But before I got to gulp the water down, we were instructed to go back outside to the patio for the tasting. Awesome.

cowgirl creamery cheese plate & Spanish cured meat plate

The tasting was started off with a meat and cheese plate that was expectedly average. I did, however, find myself eating all the cheese as I always do.

buttermilk biscuit with strawberry jam

The biscuits came out next and they were definitely not average. These biscuits were so flaky and delicious that I took one home with me. Butter and strawberry jam on top of a warm biscuit can never go wrong in my book.

soju sangria

I washed down the two biscuits I had with the soju sangria. As a soju drinker, not by choice, I could immediately taste the soju but was pleasantly surprised to find it not offensive due to the sangria mixture.

french toast with powdered sugar and maple syrup

The next brunch item was the french toast that came almost half burnt, but still tasty. The sweet and sticky maple syrup did a wonderful job of masking any hint of the burnt flavor.

heritage farm pork belly skewers

Next item up was the pork belly skeweres served with, I think, a chorizo-based sauce. Honestly, I really can't remember. These savory snacks were a little tough for me, but I thought they had nice flavor.

macaroni salad with pine nuts and yogurt dressing

I was hoping to really love the macraoni salad, but sadly, this one fell a bit short. The dish was bland, especially after the flavorful, but dry, pork belly. It's an average side dish, something I wouldn't order on my own.

roasted cauliflower

Wow. The amazing flavors of the roasted cauliflower totally overshadowed my lack of enthusiasm and well, their lack of flavor, in the macaroni salad dish. The perfectly seasoned cauliflower had great texture and literally made me forget about all the other dishes. Lazy Ox definitely knows how to cook their veggies.

watermelon and mango salad, cilantro, lime & chile dressing

Next up was another favorite of mine: the watermelon and mango salad. Lazy Ox's brunch menu states that it is a watermelon and orange salad, but on this day I believe it was mango. Yelp said it was pineapple, but I don't remember tasting pineapple, so I'm going to stick with mango. This fruit salad was really bright and delicious. I really loved the interplay between the sweetness of the fruits and the acidity of the dressing. Very nice.

charred romaine hearts salad with pickled onion, aged pecorino and tarragon-garlic dressing

I really enjoyed the charred flavor of the romaine hearts and loved the pickled onions, but I love anything pickled. The salad was as a whole was nothing spectacular, but solid.

"egg” breakfast in a shell

Our last dish of the day was the "egg" breakfast in a shell, this creamy and slightly crunchy egg dish was a nice way to end the meal. It was a tasty bite, yes a bite, so it's not for sharing.

Overall, there was some hits and misses but I really had a great time at this event, despite the horrendous service. The food was good, but the service was seriously lacking. I believe our party had to get out of there by 1 PM and we were running behind, but that is no reason to take people's plates away while they are eating and ignore requests for water refills. I think the bartender was acting as a server so that could be the reason for the disconnect, but his attitude was pretty hostile. Other than that, it was great to see some old faces and meet new ones. I can't wait to come back and actually experience their brunch without the protection of the Yelp name - haha.

Lazy Ox Canteen

241 S San Pedro St

Los Angeles, CA 90012

(213) 626-5299

http://www.lazyoxcanteen.com/

Ludobites 5.0 @ Gram & Papa's

2010-09-24T12:30:00.000-07:00

Many of you have experienced the madness of trying to secure a reservation for Ludobites 5.0 and some of you, like me, were actually lucky enough to score one. For those of you who weren't so lucky, my heart goes out to you. Having been to all of Ludo's previous installments except for his 1st one, I was not about to miss this one. My last two experiences during Ludobites 4.0 left me wanting more and basically addicted, much like every one else, to this Ludo craze that is defintiely more than just a fad. Adored by L.A. food bloggers and stalked by fans all over the country, Chef Ludo and his popular pop-up restaurant were here to not only stay, but change the course of L.A. dining altogether.

Having had some Ludobites experience under my belt, I knew my friends and I were going to have a long and amazing dinner, so I came prepared with my black tights and loose shirt. No, I am not kidding. What? Tights are the new and improved stretch pants! Another exciting thing to note was that my dining companions were all Ludobites virgins. I was going to pop their cherries! Awesome. I always love de-virginizing people and you can quote me on that.

vadouvan naan bread with salted coconut butter

We started off with Ludo's version of naan with salted coconut butter. The subtle vandouvan gave a mild Indian flavor that went wonderfully with the sweet and salty coconut butter. I wish I had a tub of this butter at home! Okay, a tub would be too dangerous... how about just a jar?

cheese cupcake, chicken liver chantilly, tangerine, cornichon

Next up was the cheese cupcake with, one of my favorite things, chicken liver cream on top. YUM. I am a big fan of liver so the chicken liver chantilly was quite delicious. The cake was a bit dry for me, but I adored the flavors of the liver with the tartness from the tangerine and cornichon.

raw wagyu beef, dried miso, somen noodle, peanut vinaigrette, watermelon

Moving on, our next dish reminded me of two Korean dishes in one, a noodle dish called bi bim neng myun and a raw beef dish called, yuk hwe. The sesame oil and egg was great with the fatty wagyu and totally nostalgic for me. It reminded me of one of my first experiences eating yuk hwe in Korea at a famous 100 year old restaurant out in the countryside. Delicious. I also really loved the use of the watermelon which added a nice change in texture and flavor.

poached egg, potato mousselini, chorizo condiment

I've had the potato mousselini the last two times I dined at Ludobites and here I was eating it again. This is definitely one of my favorite dishes. I just love creamy, luscious potatoes especially with poached eggs, don't you?

heirloom tomato salad, mozzarella ice cream, basil crumble

After eating a buttery potato dish, I was glad that the tomato salad was next. I wanted to cleanse my palate and was looking for something refreshing and light. I didn't really think much of this humble tomato salad until I ate it. Wow. It was one of my favorite dishes of the night! The play in textures and flavors were spot on. The sweetness from the tomatoes to the savory, creamy mozzarella ice cream went beautifully with the crunchy basil crumble.

hot foie gras dynamite, raw tuna, lychee, crackers

I've only had dynamite with seafood, usually lobster, scallops or mussels, so I was curious to see how Chef Ludo would work the dynamite with the foie gras. The verdict? Tasty. The fatty foie gras was a great canvas for the spicy dynamite. The tuna and lychee chilled presence provided a nice counter-balance to the heat in both temperature and flavor of the foie gras dynamite.

poached oyster in dashi, seaweed gel, shallot jam, dried bonito, oyster and shell butter

Our next course was the poached oysters with your not-so-ordinary oyster accompaniments. The dried bonito gave the oysters a more "fishy" taste that my dining companions weren't too keen on. Even though I prefer raw oysters, I thought these were nice, especially with the delicious shallot jam, which added a hint of sweetness. I'd have to say the shallot jam was my favorite component of this dish.

grilled octopus, oregano, creamy hazelnut polenta, pineapple aioli, piment d'espellette

The octopus dish was next and one that I was patiently waiting for after hearing such great reviews about it. The octopus was extremely tender, while the polenta was wonderfully gritty, great texture. The pineapple aioli that accompanied the dish was fantastic. The sweetness of the aioli and the spiciness from the piment d'espellette gelee went nicely with the grilled and charred flavor of the octopus.

green asparagus, morels, yellow wine, brown butter powder, parmesan snow

Another outstanding dish and yes, another favorite of mine! The aroma of the woodsy morels was amazing and well, just plain intoxicating. I couldn't take my eyes off the dish. The asparagus was cooked to perfection and the combination of the brown butter powder and parmesan snow enhanced the flavors of the vegetables. Amazing.

turbot 'a la plancha,' green tea matcha, shoyu, pink garlic-spinach, fresh yuzu

All of us were getting pretty damn full by this point. We were ten courses deep with no end in sight. We were struggling. But, the fight had to go on. The next challenge: turbot with green tea matcha and pink garlic spinach. The fish was nicely cooked, but the flavor of the green tea matcha got lost once I took a bite of the garlic spinach. The garlic was very pronounced in this dish, which I personally love, but one of my dining companions thought the garlic was overpowering.

confit pork belly, raw choucroute thai style, mustard ice cream

The pork was incredibly tender and I could not get enough of the choucroute or sauerkraut. The sour yet crisp flavor of the raw thai style choucroute with the spicy and pungent mustard ice cream went beautifully with the fatty and tender pork. Absolutely divine and another favorite of mine.

braised veal cheeks, goat cheese, candied black olives, black rice salad, cauliflower

Yes, our last final savory course was here. We made it. I only took a couple of bites of this since I was really about to blow. Seriously. The tender veal cheeks made my eyes roll back and the creamy goat cheese was especially delicious with the sweet, candied black olives on top. The black rice salad added nice texture and the cauliflower shavings on top was quite delicious.

caramel souffle, blanco grapefruit, fleur del sel ice cream

I wanted to get the cheese plate since my favorite cheese, Epoisse, was part of the selection, but the small mountain that was forming under my shirt had other plans. We couldn't fit anymore courses in, so we decided on sharing just one dessert amongst the four of us. I knew I had to order the "life-changing" caramel souffle, served with the tart grapefruit and salty fleur del sel ice cream. The souffle was what you say like a mother's touch - soft, sweet and warm. When eaten with the ice cream, the result was fantastic.

"sundae" pistachio ice cream, bing cherries, hot chocolate sauce, salted pistachio

As a treat, Krissy gave us the "sundae" dessert with pistachio ice cream (Thank you Krissy!). Honestly, I cannot remember anything about this dessert because by this time I was in an intense food coma. My brain had shut down and was in sleep mode from all the food. Zzzzzzz.... Good night.

Well, not just yet.

It was another amazing meal from Ludo and I had the belly to prove it. All four of us rolled out of there full and incredibly satisfied. I was glad to have popped the Ludobites cherry for my friends and well, I was glad I could walk out of there with my own two feet. Thank you to Chef Ludo and Krissy for making our dining experience so memoralbe!

Okay, now, seriously... Good night.

Ludobites @ Gram & Papa's

227 E. 9th Street

Los Angeles, CA 90015

http://www.ludobites.com/

Street Food Event with Chef Robert Danhi @ Street by Susan Feniger

2010-09-15T11:14:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, Sept 29th, Chef Susan Feniger will open up her kitchen at Street for one night only to Chef Robert Danhi. He is the author of James Beard nominated cookbook "Southeast Asian Flavors: Adventures in Cooking the Foods of Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore," one of Susan Feniger's favorite cookbooks. For $40 per person, you get unlimited tastings of a wide variety of authentic dishes of Southeast Asia served at food stations set up inside and outside of Street as well as trays with food being passed around. These dishes will also be paired with a selection of exotic beers priced at $5 each.

Some of the menu items include:

-Vietnamese Shrimp and Pork cakes w/ Banana Blossom Salad
-Thai Mango Salad "Mamuang Yam Prik Gkap Gkleua"
-Singaporean Coconut & Palm Sugar filled Pandan Crepes "Keuh Dadah"
-Filipino Ice Cream Sandwiches - Coconut Bread and Pandan Ice Cream

Chef Danhi first introduced the now legendary kaya toast (pictured above) to Chef Susan Feniger, so you can cleary see where her admiration comes from. He will be there signing his cookbook and selling coipes for $30 (which retails for $45).

This event is from 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. and reservations can be made through OpenTable or by calling the restaurant at 323-203-0500. Reservations are limited to two people per party, so please make multiple reservations if you want to bring more people.This event WILL sell out, act fast!

Street by Susan Feniger
742 N. Highland Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90038
(323) 203-0500
http://www.eatatstreet.com/

Providence: Anniversary Tasting Menu

2010-09-14T17:41:00.000-07:00

Chef Michael Cimarusti has clearly made a name for himself working from the original Spago in Hollywood to his seven-year stay at Water Grill. Now, being owner and chef of two Michelin star-rated Providence and having been on Bravo TV's Top Chef Masters, Chef Cimarusti is a chef's chef. Greatly respected and yet ever so humble, his passion for food is clearly portrayed in every single dish.

During the month of June and July (I know I'm late!), Providence was having a fabulous special: 5 courses for $65. What a great deal! My last trip to Providence was almost a year ago, but remained one of my most memorable meals so far. Having had the full 16 course chef's tasting menu last time, I thought five courses would be a breeze. Joining J and I for dinner was one of our favorite couples and avid foodies, T and F. It was their last nice dinner before their beautiful baby girl was due.

Koshihikari Echigo

Prosecco

bacon roll

nori foccacia

sourdough

As usual, my favorite bread out of the three was the bacon roll. The nori was delicious, but J liked the usual sourdough which was surprising since he loves bacon.

amuse bouche: gin and tonic, margarita and Tasmanian salmon

During my last visit, I really loved the greyhound and mojito spheres, so I was excited to try the margarita. It had a nice kick due to the tequila and was quite refreshing. I also loved the gin and tonic gelee due to its acidity, but J was not fond of this at all. The salmon was his favorite, which had a great crunchy texture from the rice crispies. He sure loves his crunchy food.

course 1 (supplement): kumamoto and malpeque oysters, traditional mignonette, cocktail sauce consomme

T suggested we start off our meal with some oysters. I love oysters, so I happily obliged. Kumamotos are my favorite oysters and they were briny, creamy and sweet - just plain fantastic.The malpeques had more body than the kumamotos but were only slightly briny with a clean finish.

course 2: kanpachi, rice cracker

The first course out of the five from the anniversary menu was the kanpachi served with a mayo-based sauce with endives and rice crackers. The cut on the kanpachi was nice and the fatty flavor was delicious. The endive and crackers gave a nice contrast in texture compared to the silky fish.

course 3: black island scallop, light curry sauce

Our next dish was a perfectly cooked scallop in a light curry sauce. The sauce was flavorful yet not overpowering, which worked harmoniously with the scallop and the salad on top. I really enjoyed the salad and thought the mild onlin flavor from the scallions and a mint finish really brightened the dish.

I also ordered a glass of Pinot Grigio that I forgot to snap a photo of. But, I do remember the wine being velvety and crisp in the beginning with a bitter finish.

course 4: halibut, basil sauce, olive tapenade

Here was another perfectly cooked piece of fish at Providence. Not surprising.While the fish was cooked beautifully, the dish was a tad too salty for my taste. The flavor of the olive tapenade was also forefront and almost too prominent to my liking. I did enjoy the basil sauce, which went well with the fish.

course 5 (supplement): foie gras ravioli with truffle

One of my favorite dishes of the night! I'm a little upset I did not have this during my previous visit when I had the full chef's tasting menu. From now on, this dish will be a staple in every one of my visits to Providence. The earthiness from the truffles pair so well with the richness of the foie gras. While this dish looks a bit rich, it was not heavy at all. Maybe because I only got one piece of ravioli...

course 6: veal tenderloin, maitake mushrooms, sweet peas, almonds

Our last savory course of the evening was another one of my favorites. While Providence is known for their seafood, I was surprised to find myself in love with this veal dish. The tenderloin was impeccable! The herbaceous greens to the earthy mushrooms and crunchy almonds, this dish was an amazing way to end our savory courses.

Hibiscus Esoterica (with a picture of our server behind the glass)

A lover of port, T inquired about some dessert wines and our server suggested the Hibiscus Estoeria. I had a taste and it was delicious. It was sweet and honey-like - very nice.

course 7: lemon curd with raspberry jasmine sorbet

We ended our dinner with a great dessert course, something I always look forward to at Providence. The lemon curd with raspberry jasmine sorbet was tart and fruity - a nice change from the veal. The marhsmallow reminded us of a sweet popular Asian candy. Even though I was incredibly full by this point, I still managed to clean my plate.

minigardises: banana nougatine, caramel chew, chocolate macaron

We were given minigardises of banana nougatine, caramel and chocolate macaron at the end of our meal. The macaron was my favorite, but hey, I just love macarons.

I was really full by the end of the meal and with only seven courses deep, I was quietly thinking to myself how I ever got through 16. Even though it has been quite some time since my last meal here, this meal still confirmed how much of a big fan I am of this restaurant and especially of Chef Michael Cimarusti. His food is beautiful, tasty and sophisitcated. You also might spot a celebirty here as we saw Conan O'Brien dining with friends while sporting a full beard. And during my previous visit, Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake with friends sat right next to us, but TMZ was nowhere to be found. If you haven't had a chance to dine here yet, please go now and if you get the tasting menu, don't forget to add the foie gras ravioli!

Providence

5955 Melrose Ave

Los Angeles, CA 90038
(323) 460-4170
http://www.providencela.com/

Plate by Plate 2010 @ California Science Center

2010-09-09T20:30:00.000-07:00

My regular readers (all two of you) know that I am part of a non-profit organization called, Project by Project and know that our biggest event of the year, Plate by Plate 2010, was held at the California Science Center on August 14th. For those of you who are not familiar, please check out additional information here. After months of planning and soliciting, the long awaited day was upon us. Like a ninja, August 14th came up quickly and frankly, out of nowhere. I couldn't believe where all the time had gone! I woke up that Saturday morning, excited and ready.

It was going to be a long day.

Set-Up

Most of the steering committee members were at the site by 10 A.M. ready to start the day. My tasks mainly consisted of assisting the setup of the layout and greeting restaurants as they arrived. I have to say that I honestly love the high level of energy on the day-of event production. Physically seeing everything come together was so rewarding.

Jiraffe (VIP Restaurant)

Veev (VIP Beverage)

Acai Lemonade

Jiraffe and Veev graciously agreed to be our VIP Restaurant and Beverage Purveyors for the event, and we couldn't ask for a better pair. Everyone was swooning over Chef Raphael's dish and all the chefs were thrilled to drink cocktails made with Veev. It was a fun and successful VIP reception.

Since I was working the event, I barely ate any of the amazing food. When I did eat, I ate around my "station." The restaurant team was assigned to a different section on the floor and were responsible for taking care of the restaurants in that section.

Cafe Pinot: pepper crusted yellow fin tuna, sweet and spicy heirloom cherry tomatoes with star anise essence

My first bite was Chef Kevin Meehan's dish of delicious pepper crusted tuna and sweet heirloom cherry tomatoes. Cafe Pinot wasn't in my section, but Chef Kevin flagged me down as soon as the main event started and asked me if I was hungry. Hell yes, I was. I ate this in two bites - fast and furious. Well, not furious, just fast.

Thompson Hotel: spot prawn "Cuban style"

Being a big fan of Chef Brian Redzikowski, I knew I had to try his dish. Having had an amazing meal at Thompson Hotel but not-so-amazing at his Hatchi series, I was definitely intrigued with what he would come up with. This was probably one of my favorite dishs of the night! Everything on that plate was perfect. I enjoyed it very much.

Craft: Liberty Farm duck and heirloom melon salad

Craft's duck was cut lean so it didn't feel fatty as one would think. The salad did a great job of cutting the fattiness of the duck. I thought the dish was smart and delicious.

The Blvd: kampachi with apple arugula avocado foam and shiso flowers

Another one of my favorites of the night was The Blvd's kampachi with avocado foam. It was refreshing and full of flavor. I thought the avocado would overpower the fish, but since it was a light foam it complimented the kampachi well.

Roy's: new style hamachi poke & forbidden black Thai rice pudding

Fraiche: salmon tartare on a potato chip

Another delicious dish was Fraiche's salmon tartare on a potato chip. The potato chip wasn't as crispy as I would have liked, probably because I ate one of their last dishes, but the salmon tartare was great.

Oanh of It's More Than Just Eating (Events Team - Restaurants), Ngyuen of Starry Kitchen, and Bill of Street Gourmet LA

Cyndi (Events Team - Restaurants) and me with Paul Blackthorne of The Gates on ABC.

Even though I didn't sample all the dishes from each restaurant, I was so busy during the whole event I wasn't even that hungry.Those few dishes I had were more than enough to keep me sustained throughout the event. I had so much fun mingling with my friends, team members, chefs and bloggers. I think every time I saw someone I took them to the Rock Sake table and took shots. I had many shots - haha. It was a very fun night. The response I got from all the chefs was unanimous - they were amazed at how organized we were and how helpful our volunteers were.

I would like to thank ALL the restaurants, beverage purveyors, sponsors and volunteers for donating your time, food, beverages, services and many auction items to make this year's event so successful. I also want to say how much fun I had with the PbP family. I've learned so much from everyone and so grateful to be part of an amazing team. I made great friends and together, we made some incredible memories. I cannot wait until next year!

Munch L.A. @ Fairfax High School

2010-09-03T16:30:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: EVENT CANCELED

Munch L.A.

Yes, it's another food truck festival. But, what's so great and different about this one? Well, first of all, it is so dear to my heart because it is being held at my high school, Fairfax! That alone won me over! Some people say high school was torture. I'm not one of those people. I, personally, loved high school. Sure, I've gone through the same emotional trauma that all teens face, but still, I wouldn't trade it for the world. And, sometimes, I really miss high school. I miss the teachers, my friends, the classes, all of it. I miss how naive and innocent I was. I miss having that feeling I could be and do anything, that glimmer of hope filled with endless possibilities. Yes, before the real world, there was high school (and college).

Anyways, back to Munch LA. If you haven't hopped on the food truck craze yet, you can see over 30 food trucks all at once on Saturday, September 18th from 11:00 AM - 5:00 P.M.

Partidicpating trucks include: Ahn Joo, Baby Bad Ass Burgers, Big Swirl, Calbi BBQ, Crepe n Around, Del's Lemonade, Dim Sum Truck, Don Chow Tacos, Dosa Truck, Dumpling Station, Eat Phanmish, Fish Lips, Flying Pig, Frysmith, Greenz on Wheelz, Greasy Weiner, India Jones, Kabob N Roll, Komodo, Lake Street Creamery, Louks, Ludo Truck, Nana Queens, Slice, South Philly, Sweet Truck, Tropical Shave Ice, Vizzi, and more.

But, wait, there's more. Possibly the best part: you can shop designer stores/brands WHILE stuffing your face (just don't get it on the clothes). Ain't that a girl's dream? Well, the dream would be complete if we could eat and eat and never gain a pound. Participating designer stores/brands are: Young Fabulous & Broke, Hudson Jeans, Wendy Glez Lingerie, T Bags, Dylan George, Paige Denim, Boheme Jewlery, and much more.

Tickets can be purchased online for $7 or for $10 at the door. Each ticket includes entry to the event and a free beverage from Hansen's Natural Sodas. *Side note: I went to elementary school with a boy whose dad started and owned Hansen's. Yes, his last name was Hansen.

Fairfax High School

7850 Melrose Ave.

Los Angeles, CA 90046

http://www.munchla.com/

A Revisit to Gjelina

2010-09-02T14:09:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things to do is have a nice dinner with a close friend and talk for hours. There's something about good food and great company that I think many of us find so comforting. On this particular night, I was having dinner with a very dear girlfriend of mine, one whom I've shared all kinds of memories with. We decided on having dinner at Gjelina since many have raved about the place to her, including me. My first visit was fabulous so I hoped my second visit would not disappoint. It didn't.

marinated beet and avocado with hazlenut and sherry

Our first dish came out as we started getting the usual questions out of the way: "how's work?," etc. After our short and light discussion regarding our jobs and careers, we dove into this bright beet salad. I really liked the creaminess of the avocado, which was a nice replacement to beets' usual sidekick, the goat cheese. The macadamian nuts added great texture while the grapefruits' acidity added a wonderful brightness to the salad.

hen of the woods mushroom toast with creme fraiche and truffle oil

As we moved on from our light "work" talk and into the good stuff, our second dish, one of Gjelina's most popular, came out. Immediately, I rolled my eyes in pleasure as the aroma alone was mesmerizing. Any girl would go ga-ga over the smell of the woody and earthy mushrooms with the amazing truffle oil. I didn't even notice the toast, honestly. I really can't tell you if it was soft or chewey or what. But, I can tell you that it was delicious and left me wanting more.

caramelized fennel, confit tomato, green onion and spicy fennel sausage pizza

During my previous visit, I tried the top two pizzas, the caramelized onions and mushroom with truffle oil and they were both fantastic. This time around, my gf wanted the fennel pizza and I was excited to see how this one turned out. The sausage was only slightly spicy which went really well with the sweetness from the caramelized fennel and the tartness of the tomato. A nice pizza.

plum marzipan, creme fraiche

For dessert, instead of the famed butterscotch pudding, we ended up getting one of the specials of the night. Since my friend is not a big fan of overly sweet, the plum marzipan sounded just right. It was good, nothing great. I honestly can't remember much about this dessert, so there you go.

We fondly and loudly, remininsced about our past illicit activities, while at the same time, gracefully shoveling these delicious bites into our mouths. It's true that the noise level at Gjelina gets significantly louder after the sun sets. We both literally had to shout out our dirty little secrets that we've been longing to share. Apparently, we wanted to share with the tables next to us as well. Fun times. At least, the food was good.

Gjelina

1429 Abbot Kinney Blvd.

Venice, CA 90291

(310) 450-1429

http://www.gjelina.com/

Angeleno Magazine's Chef's Night Out @ Fairmont Hotel

2010-08-24T16:33:00.000-07:00

It was my lucky day.

Brad A. Johnson, critically acclaimed food critic of Angeleno Magazine, was giving out a free pair of tickets to the Chef's Night Out event via his twitter. I re-tweeted and I won. Simple as that! I rarely ever win anything, so when I found out I won I was literally jumping up with joy.

Seriously.

I closed my office door and jumped up and down like a lunatic. Good thing the window washers weren't working that day.

Basically, this event was to celebrate Brad A. Johnson and the winners of Angeleno Magazine's 2010 Restaurant awards and I was lucky enough to score two free tickets to this awesome event. I knew the line-up included all of the restaurant award winners like Hatfield's, Bistro LQ and Michael Voltaggio, so I was more than psyched.

With J by my side working as my assistant ("Can you hold this? Can you hold that?"), I made my way through the crowd to sample all the dishes at every booth, one by one.

Hatfield's: braised pork belly with barley, corn and carrots in vadouvan sauce

Petrossian: cauliflower panna cotta with transmontanus caviar

Not surprisingly, one of my favorites was Chef Ben Bailly's cauliflower panna cotta with caviar. Taking me back to my last dinner at Petrossian, I was lost in the wonderful interplay between the creaminess of the panna cotta and the salty caviar.

Craft: octopus carpaccio white wine braised Spanish octopus with lemon, mint and potato vinaigrette.

Comme Ca: heirloom tomato & watermelon terrine, red onion granita, pickled watermelon rind, whipped ricotta, candied mustard seed

Another favorite of mine was Comme Ca's tomato and watermelon terrine. It was beautiful to look at and refreshing to eat - a nice blend of bright flavors.

Street by Susan Feniger: Burmese melon salad with fresh seasonal melons, toasted coconut, peanuts, fried onions and sesame ginger dressing

J really enjoyed this melon salad dish by Susan Feniger. His love for crunchy food and Asian flavors was key in making this dish own of his favorites of the night. I also liked the texture and flavor combination in this dish.

Jar: pork croissant

Bistro LQ: rabbit loin stuffed with veal sweetbreads, vanilla dressing and uni tapioca pudding

Bistro LQ: white chocolate ice cream topped with caviar

I always look forward to Chef Laurent's food whenever I come to these events. As a die-hard uni lover, his uni tapioca pudding is one of my favorite things to eat. I really enjoyed his dessert of white chocolate ice cream topped with caviar. It was a great mix of salty and sweet.

Joe's: wild mushroom and gruyere cheese quiche

Melisse: loup de mer "en écaillés" with heirloom tomatoes and cucumber-basil

Ludobites: heirloom tomato smoothie, squid ink jelly, seaweed tartar

J and I both really loved Chef Ludo's tomato smoothie. There was so much flavor in the smoothie itself and I adored the texture of the squid ink jelly and seaweed tartar.

Wilshire: charred octopus with summer beans and upside down peach cobbler

Michael Voltaggio's market peach and burrata

Another favorite of ours was Voltaggio's version of dippin dots. The sweet and tart peach flavor went well with the creamy burrata. I thought J wouldn't like this due to his usual apprenhension with cheese, but to my surprise it was one of his top favorites of the night.

WP24: slow braised pork belly bao buns

Angelini Osteria: baby artichokes in casseruola and beef tartare crostino with guanciale zabaglione and shaved black summer truffle

Look at the wonderful shaved pieces of black summer truffles on top of the beef tartare. Doesn't that just make your mouth water? It should. Due to the recent tightening of my braces, I couldn't go to town with this dish. The bread was too hard for me to bite into. Instead, I just used the bread as a spoon and ate the tartare and truffles only - delicious.

Culina: capesante day boat scallops with farro, summer corn, heirloom tomatoes, scallions, English peas and citronette

Saam at the The Bazaar by Jose Andres: linguini with clams and tuna handroll

FIG: crostino with pesto, burrata and heirloom tomato

FIG: corn tortellini with braised rabbit, carrot and English peas

Nine Thirty: Indian spiced fried chicken with fennel seed waffles and cardamom syrup

Nine Thirty's fried chicken and waffles definitely seemed like the most popular dish at the event. Nine thirty had the longest line out of any restaurant participant, even towards the end of the event! I was lucky to have grabbed one of the last batches of the food. The chicken was was incredible. The skin was extremely crispy with the perfect amount of batter and the inside was so moist and full of flavor. The waffles were also delicious - sweet and crunchy. I wish I had an entire plate of this!

123 Tequila and Chocolate Tasting

J and I ended our evening with some tequila shots and chocolate. I was quite surprised how well the tequila went with the chocolate. What a great idea! I'll have to keep them in mind for future events...

Chef Laurent Quenioux and Sous Chef Daniel of Bistro LQ

Chef Ludo Lefebvre (Ludobites) and Chef Quinn Hatfield (Hatfield's)

Me and Joy Limanon (Taste of the Nation Los Angeles Events Chair)

Of course, I couldn't leave without snapping a few photos with some of my favorites. I felt like I was taking pictures of all the food, but not enough of the people. Oh well... This event whizzed on by fairly quickly for me, probably because I was having too much fun. I wanted to stay til the absolute end, but my feet were killing me and well, I was drunk. Not too drunk where I couldn't feel the pain in my feet, but just drunk enough where I wanted to lay down and take a nap. The happy, lazy, smiley drunk.

I had a wonderful time and am so grateful that I scored free tickets. The food was amazing, as expected, and it was great to see so many familiar faces. I adore the Fairmont, a perfect setting for such an event, intimate and beautiful. I can't wait for next year's! (Maybe I'll win tickets again?)

Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows

101 Wilshire Boulevard

Santa Monica, CA 90401

(310) 576-7777
www.fairmont.com/santamonica

Yatai Ramen Twist @ Breadbar

2010-08-19T16:32:00.000-07:00

Following the success of the Hatchi series, Breadbar has launched a few other pop-up dinner series, one of them focusing on ramen. Since I've heard mixed reviews on the Yatai Ramen Twist series, I didn't really plan on checking it out. However, when Fiona of Gourmet Pigs messaged me about having dinner here, I thought that it couldn't hurt to try. So, accompanied by J, I met Fiona up at the Breadbar location on third street.

Since they were closing in an hour, they were out of the oxtail ramen, which was the only one that I really wanted to try. Bummed out but not defeated, we decided to try three other kinds on the menu (two from the Twist section and one from the Classic).

tomato ramen, tomato consomme soup, sauteed mixed vegetables

We decided on tomato ramen which was the first to come out. Good thing we ate this first, since it was the worst one out of the three. The tomato soup had a slight kick to it, but overall was bland and just plain odd. Even V8 had more flavor than this bowl.

spicy pork curry ramen, braised pork, marinated poached egg, leeks

Next, we dove into the spicy pork curry ramen. This fared much better than the tomato, but still lacked in flavor. The slightly spicy soup had a lingering heat, but other than that it had no depth - just a one note dish. I did like the creaminess from the egg and the hefty portion of pork in the bowl.

shoyu ramen, aged soy sauce, served with marinated poached egg, kurobuta pork belly, nori, bamboo shoot, kikurage Tokyo negi

Our last bowl, which took forever and a day to come out, was J's favorite out of the three. Not surprising since he prefers traditional over modern any day. But, we both agreed this didn't even compare to our favorite, Santouka. The broth was fatty and rich. My favorite part of the dish was the thinly sliced green onions on top. Yes, those green onions were more exciting than the ramen itself.

The experience as a whole was just plain disappointing. But, on the bright side, at least I tried it and learned a valuable lesson: stick to your favorites, they are your favorites for a reason. This kind of negative experience validates all the wonderful meals I've had elsewhere. If we didn't have the bad, then we wouldn't know the good. Right?

Yatai Ramen Twist @ Breadbar

8718 W 3rd St

Los Angeles, CA 90048
(310) 205-0124
http://www.breadbar.net/